Prophetic Worship: Living as Dissident Disciples in Babylon
In a world that often feels chaotic and opposed to God's ways, how can we stay true to our faith? The answer lies in embracing prophetic worship - not just as songs we sing on Sundays, but as a radical way of life that challenges the status quo.
The book of Revelation, often misunderstood as a roadmap to the end times, is actually a powerful call to discipleship. It paints a vivid picture of two contrasting kingdoms: the way of the Lamb (Jesus) and the way of Babylon (the world system opposed to God). As followers of Christ, we're called to live as "dissident disciples" - those who worship God faithfully while resisting the values of Babylon.
Babylon, in this context, represents more than just an ancient city. It's a system characterized by:
Devotion to prosperity and economic exploitation
Opposition to the non-violent way of the Lamb
Fixation on image and impressing others
Reliance on weapons and military might
Attempts to dominate through power and force
Internal betrayals and complex power structures
Arrogance and unbridled ambition
Sound familiar? These traits are alive and well in our modern world. The challenge for believers is to live counter-culturally, embracing prophetic worship as our response.
But what exactly is prophetic worship? It's not just about singing emotional songs or having powerful spiritual experiences. True prophetic worship involves both declaration and demonstration - proclaiming God's truth with our words and living it out with our actions.
The book of Revelation contains nine powerful worship songs, each sung by heavenly choirs of elders, angels, and martyrs. These aren't comfortable, feel-good choruses. They're cries for justice, declarations of God's sovereignty, and reminders of the Lamb's ultimate victory. Songs like "Holy, Holy, Holy," "Worthy is the Lamb," and "The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our God" serve as bold interruptions to scenes of persecution and judgment.
These songs parallel the Negro spirituals sung by enslaved African Americans. Just as those spirituals subverted an unjust system and reimagined a world of freedom, the worship in Revelation creates a new reality for believers living under oppression. It forms a holy imagination that sees beyond current circumstances to God's ultimate triumph.
But prophetic worship goes beyond singing. It's a lifestyle of witness - living out the truths we proclaim. The Greek word for witness, "martus," is where we get our word "martyr." This reminds us that truly following Jesus in a Babylon-like world often comes at a cost.
To the seven churches addressed in Revelation, and to us today, the message is clear: recognize Babylon for what it is, speak up against injustice, and stand firm in the way of the Lamb. This dual nature of witness involves both public affirmation of Jesus' lordship and public resistance to the way of the dragon embodied in Babylon.
The goal is christoformity - becoming conformed to the image of Christ. This transformation happens as we engage in both aspects of prophetic worship:
Worship in Word: Bold declaration of God's truth, even in the face of opposition. This includes singing, preaching, and proclaiming the kingdom of God as greater than any earthly power.
Worship in Works: Living out our faith through concrete actions. This might look like:
Loving our enemies and praying for those we disagree with
Choosing sobriety one day at a time
Standing firm in our convictions, even when it's costly
The story of the Martyrs of Nagasaki provides a powerful example of prophetic worship in action. In 1597, 26 Christians in Japan - including Franciscans, Jesuits, and lay believers - were arrested for their faith. Rather than renouncing Christ, they embarked on a 30-day, 373-mile march to their execution site, singing hymns of praise along the way.
Even as they faced crucifixion, these believers continued to worship. A 13-year-old martyr named Antony began singing "Praise, Children, the Lord," joined by two other young boys. As they hung on their crosses, they recited the Benedictus and prayed for the forgiveness of their executioners. Their unwavering faith in the face of death serves as a profound witness to the power of Christ.
While most of us won't face such extreme persecution, we're still called to live as dissident disciples in our own Babylons. This might mean:
Speaking truth to power in our workplaces or communities
Choosing generosity and simplicity over materialism
Pursuing reconciliation instead of retaliation
Advocating for the marginalized and oppressed
Maintaining hope and joy in the midst of suffering
Prophetic worship requires courage. It often means swimming against the cultural current and facing rejection. But it's through this counter-cultural witness that we truly reflect the character of Christ and participate in His kingdom coming "on earth as it is in heaven."
As we engage in prophetic worship - both in our gathered times of singing and in our daily lives - we're invited to:
Release our anxieties and embrace the peace of the Lamb
Let go of our need for control and trust in God's sovereignty
Forgive as we've been forgiven, even when it's difficult
Speak up against injustice while embodying Christ's love
The book of Revelation reminds us that despite appearances, the Lamb has already won the ultimate victory. Our call is to align ourselves with His kingdom, living as faithful witnesses in a world that often rejects His ways. Through prophetic worship - in both word and deed - we declare that there is a better way, a kingdom of love, justice, and peace that will ultimately prevail.
May we have the courage to be dissident disciples, worshipping God prophetically in the Babylons of our day. As we do, we become living testimonies to the transforming power of Christ and signposts pointing to His coming kingdom. Amen.