3. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance, and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

Transcription

1 THE THRONE ROOM OF HEAVEN Revelation Chapter 4 Message After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." 2. Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance, and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4. Around the throne were twenty four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes, and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6. Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying; "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" 9. Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10. the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying; 11. "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." 1

2 It's important to understand, as we begin to look at the remainder of the book of Revelation, that no person, this side of heaven, has a grasp on every symbol in the book of Revelation but we can possibly get very close to their meaning. And so we begin, with that thought in mind, to understand chapter four as well as the rest of this wonderful book. An outline of the book of Revelation can be found in one verse; Revelation 1:19. "Write the things which you have seen, the things which are, and things which will take place after this." 1. Write the things which you have seen (chapter 1 The vision of Christ) 2. Write the things which are (chapter 2-3 The church age) 3. Write the things which will take place after this (After the church age) As we begin the fourth chapter of Revelation its important that we understand what things (After these things) the Lord is talking about. 1. After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." After these things What things? Church things! After the church is removed from the earth. Refer to Revelation 1:19 To understand events in chronological order you must place two verses between the end of chapter 3 and the beginning of chapter 4 in Revelation. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. In other words, the church will be raptured before the things of Revelation chapter 4 begin. 2

3 In chapters 4-18 of Revelation we do not see the church mentioned. The church is mentioned seventeen times in the first three chapters of Revelation, but after John (a member of the church) is called up to heaven in Revelation chapter 4, he looks down on the events of the Tribulation and the church is not mentioned or seen again until Revelation chapter 19, (when she returns to the earth with her Lord Jesus Christ at the Second Coming.) In Revelation 3:10 God promised the church at Philadelphia that they would not go through the wrath that is to come upon all the world. (The Tribulation) This is the Evangelistic church The Missionary minded church that will exist up until the time of the Lord s return. But the Lord could not have been referring to this particular church in Philadelphia that existed at that time for that church was destroyed in the third century. So it just makes sense that the Lord is talking about the missionary minded, evangelistic, church (that will exist up until His coming). That church will not go through the tribulation. In Revelation chapters two and three the Lord repeatedly says He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. In Revelation 13:9 the Lord says If anyone has an ear let him hear. But the word church in absent from his statement here. In chapter 4 of Revelation, John is taken up to heaven and he sees God on his throne. So the theme of chapter 4 is the Throne Room of God. 1. After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." A Door Was Standing Open: John didn t just get a peak through the door. The door was standing wide open! When the rapture occurs the door will be swung wide open as Jesus says "Come up here." A Voice Like A Trumpet: Where have we heard this before? 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 3

4 1 Cor. 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. John is a forerunner of all who are to be raptured. 2. Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. Here in Heaven we see four things about the throne. 1. The One who is on the throne 2. The ones who are around the throne 3. The ones who are before the throne 4. The worship of those who are around and before the throne 3. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance, and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Now to understand some things about Revelation you must begin to understand some symbolism. You may think you can t understand the symbolism but we have seen symbolism many times in scripture and understood it. We have seen that Jesus described Himself as a Vine and we are the Branches. We have seen that Jesus referred to Himself as Living Water. Now we see God referred to in symbolism as Stones. Jasper Stone: Ruby Red, Fire Symbol Burning Holiness of God Sardius Stone: Diamond The Hardest known stone to mankind Symbol The Hardness and Judgment of God We have seen Jesus as meek and mild and a gentle Shepherd and we have seen and felt the grace and mercy of God but now we see another characteristic of God in His Hardness and His Judgment. A Rainbow around the Throne: Totally encircling the throne Emerald Green Promises The Faithfulness of God 4

5 4. Around the throne were twenty four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes, and they had crowns of gold on their heads. Who are these elders that are sitting on thrones, clothed in white robes with crowns of gold on their heads? The identity of the 24 elders can be established from a careful observation of the descriptive data. They are clothed in white, indicating purity; sitting on thrones, suggesting responsibility and status; crowned with gold on their heads (victors' wreathsstephanous, (Greek); and they themselves bear witness that they have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and, therefore, constitute a kingdom of priests. Such a description can only represent redeemed humanity. Twenty-four is twice twelve. In the picturesque vision of the New Jerusalem in chapter 21, the city is said to have twelve pearl gates, inscribed with the names of the twelve sons of Jacob, and twelve foundations, inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles. A similar truth is presented in the number of elders. Both O.T. and N.T. saints are gathered as the family of God in heaven and are here represented in the 24 elders. 5. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. The Seven Spirits of God are representative of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit as found in Isaiah 11:2 Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. 1. The Spirit of God 2. The Spirit of Wisdom 3. The Spirit of Understanding 4. The Spirit of Might and Power 5. The Spirit of Counsel 6. The Spirit of Knowledge 7. The spirit of the fear of the Lord 6. Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 5

6 8. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying; "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" The creatures in Ezekiel's description are almost identical to the ones mentioned here (Ezekiel 10:20). Furthermore, Ezekiel names the living creatures of his vision "cherubim," an order of angelic beings. There are four cherubim in Ezekiel, indicating their relationship to the world. Here in Revelation, animate creation is represented by the "living creatures" in their four faces. Lion: Wild animals worshipping God Calf: Domestic animals worshipping God Man: Mankind worshipping God Eagle: Flying creatures worshipping God Numerous eyes indicate spiritual perception, insight, and knowledge. Thus, the heavenly scene depicts the angelic messengers and the redeemed, resurrected human beings along with all of God's created beings worshiping, honoring, and extolling the eternal God. When Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem He said if the people did not cry out Hosanna, Hosanna to the Highest that even the stones would cry out! They all cry out "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" Each word "HOLY" is for each member of the Godhead. 9. Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10. the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying; 11. "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." 6

7 WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM CHAPTER 4? 1. The most important thing we can do is worship! The Bible says those that worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth. In Spirit means in Hymns, Praises, Choruses, and Hallelujahs. In Truth means in Doctrine, Teaching, and Preaching the Word. Many churches today feel that you have to abandon Bible doctrine in order to Worship, But you must have BOTH! THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF ALL When the hallelujah chorus breaks out in heaven, will you be there? 7