It was said specifically to the church of Philadelphia. The messages to the seven churches didn't apply equally to all of the different congregations. It could be a literal lining up and bowing kind of situation, a kind of public humiliation for the bad guys and a public honor for the good guys.
I don't think the Philadelphia church is only composed of those who were in it at that time. I see those churches as representative of today as well. There are certainly still those today who have found the fake Jews to be liars. I'll give you the point that it is possible it's literal, but I don't see it that way, but that doesn't mean I'm right. Do you see my point about humility? It's pretty clear-
Isaiah 60:14 “The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet; And they will call you the city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.--
They are fake Jews- liars- and they are made to see the CHURCH being called, the city of God- the New Jerusalem, Zion! Imagine that. nothing could be more humiliating for these false Jews. They are seeing truth for once and revealed as the liars. If you need a literal bowing then the only other option I see is that they are being made to admit by "bowing" to these believers because Christ is in them/ God is them via His Spirit- Ro 8- and ultimately that is where their proskuneo is directed. It is an admission to the truth. After all, those who conquer will sit on Jesus' throne with Him. Rev 3:21 - And as Jesus sits on His Father's throne as we will see later- But here- note that the Spirit is in us -Spirit of God/Spirit of Christ. Similarly, as we worship God the Father thru His Son- we are worshipping Father and Son but Father thru the Son.
Romans 8:9- 11
9However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Another thought is this is part of the inheritance of those saints in Christ.- Jesus spoke of those who will judge the 12 tribes of Israel and Paul spoke of believers judging angels. At any rate- this would all be in the glorified body state. Will glorified bodies of man be given worship? idk. Who can fathom what any of that will be like. Several possibilities here- it's not real clear. Makes no difference to me either way.
Jesus was given proskuneo by man when He was
in the flesh prior to glorfication. Yes, he certainly did accept it.
Let's look at it. I don't necessarily agree that bowing equates to what constitutes real worship. So if I were to bow, or if someone bowed to me, I can speak for myself that I wouldn't be bowing to someone because I thought they were God. I would bow if it was appropriate for the situation, in line with cultural norms, etc.
That being said, is literal bowing the way Jesus defined worship? Jesus said "the true worshippers" will worship the Father and "spirit and truth." So bowing isn't spirit and truth worship. The kind of bowing that Jesus and others received throughout the Bible would not fall in line with the way Jesus defined true worship. The only commandment on who to give "true worship in spirit and truth" to in the Bible is the Father (John 4:23,24) and there are no instances of this ever being applied to Jesus.
I agree with what you said that bowing can be a form of worship, there is evidence of that, but it isn't always definitively worship. You shouldn't do that if you feel it's wrong.
I never said bowing was all there is to worship. Not sure why you would say that. It's a part of it- but it's
external as is prostration- & kneeling before.
What is internal should be what prompts the external -- adoration, reverence, obedience, loyalty, love, devotion, etc in the Spirit and in Truth- I already spoke to that- in the other post --we worship via
Holy Spirit in us in Christ who is THE truth.
John 14:6, see Romans 8:9-11 again.
We should not just lightly dismiss external worship as if it matters not to God- see Psalm 95
But we know God looks at our hearts. The two should be in sync.
Commenting on Revelation 22, there are speaker changes without so much as an introduction as to who is speaking. In Rev 22:6, it says "Behold the angel said to me..." then v. 7 says "Behold I am coming soon..." so already this sounds like Jesus talking. Then John falls down to worship. After that, the speaker says "Do not do that... worship God." So this could just as easily be understood as the resurrected, ascended, glorified, exalted Jesus giving an instruction to not worship him. It's not decisive, but there is more than one way to look at this passage.
Ok-I see where you get hitched up... Let's look at it more carefully..
Rev 22 begins with the angel speaking--
22:1.
again we see in
verses 3-5 the
singular throne of God and the Lamb.-
the throne of God and the Lamb will be in it- "they" reign forever"
Moving on.. Verse 6 is still the angel who speaking for Jesus, obviously. There is nothing to indicate a change in speaker at all. Angels are the envoys and mouthpieces of God here as in the O.T., and entitled to speak in his name or in that of Christ.
Read this chapter slowly- it flows and reveals. verse 6 plainly says God sent His angel to speak. v 7 Jesus is coming v 20.
Verse 12- Jesus is coming to repay each of us- He is the Alpha and Omega= First and Last (Isaiah 44:6)
Verse 16 revealed Jesus tell us plainly that He sent His angel to testify to us.
Verse 20 Who is coming? Amen, Come Lord Jesus.
Here's some food for thought. Why is he called the Lamb if he is not a creature? Are lambs creatures?
That' silly. Jesus has
many titles ( Word of God and Lord of Lords, ALpha and Omega being just three others) and you know that lamb signifies His sacrifice for us. Also recall the lamb's blood on the doorposts for Passover?
In Him is LIFE.
Let's take a look at this too.
Throne is singular and there are two referents, God and the Lamb, then there are multiples servants serving one referent. Notice John didn't say "their servants" will server "them." The idea being conveyed here is that God and the Lamb aren't on the same throne. You can get an idea of this based on the context you quoted which immediately contradicts the idea of a shared throne.
There is throne distinction for God and the Lamb throughout Revelation. Revelation 7:10 says "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." The Lamb isn't the throne sitter in Revelation Rev. 7:10, nor the throne sitter in Rev. 5:6-7.
Revelation 22:3 is about shared rulership, not shared identity, hence when it says "His servants shall server Him" it is referring to God (singular person) and not "them."
Rev 3:21- The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Heb 1:8
But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
