worship & service

What does it mean to worship and serve God in heaven? What does heaven look like and what will we be doing if we make it there? In the seventh chapter of the book of Revelation (NABRE), we see a great multitude before the throne of God. What exactly this multitude is doing varies a bit by translation and is worth further exploration.

The Greek verb used in this passage, λατρεύω (latreuo), literally means “serve” and comes from a root that refers to hired, menial labor. While this concept ultimately was co-opted to also refer to Christian liturgical service, it’s worth considering the original meaning in this context. The rest of the passage makes clear that in heaven people will no longer need to worry about hunger, thirst, shelter, or sadness. In heaven, then, we will not be serving to meet those needs, but we do nonetheless owe a debt to God that never can be repaid. God has purchased our labor for eternity. The work in heaven, however, doesn’t exactly seem back-breaking. The labor God desires of us is that we sit with him in his presence.

Consider whether this view is compatible with your vision of heaven. Does this sound like something you would want to do? Why or why not?

you also may like our study of the book of Revelation
The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness, a 23-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, examines ways in which our traditional Christian view of heaven is built on Hebrew apocalyptic visions recorded in the Old Testament. This recently revised study includes maps and additional commentary and takes a close look at the role of the prophets in present-day Christianity. Illustrations by Tami Palladino depict the often-misunderstood images in the book of Revelation. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

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