A Vision of Heaven The awesome reality of God should motivate our every thought and activity in worship to Him. Great-grandmom first plane in Philly Revelation 4 I. The Reality of God - John s vision of God on the Throne II. III. The Reign of God - The description of the Throne room The Response to God - the Worship of the 24 Elders and Living Creatures I. The Reality of God John s vision of God on the Throne Revelation 4:1 2 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things. 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. 1) Call to John to come up here o Is this the Rapture of the Church? After these things vs. 1 Voice of a trumpet vs. 1 In the spirit standing in heaven in the throne room of God vs. 2 2) Taking a literal approach, this verse simply is a command for John to come up and enter the heavenly scene in the Spirit being given a vision of what is taking place
3) This is not representative of the church being raptured. To suggest this would be to read into the text. 4) Verse 1 also follows the outline of Revelation found in chapter 1.19 - I will show you what must take place after these things. What things? The letters to the churches. Therefore, the idea is that the chronology of the book now begins to deal with the things after the Church. With that said vs. 1 is not speaking of the Rapture. o The church, if the 24 Elders do represent the church, is ALREADY in heaven o Therefore, the Rapture as well as the Bema Seat Judgment of the Works of Believers has already taken place I Cor. 3 II. The Reign of God The Throne room Revelation 4:3 6 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. 5 Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. a. The Throne and the One sitting on it the Father Chapter 5.7 helps us understand that the One on the throne is the Father as the Lamb takes the scroll from His hand.
b. Colors indicating Jasper Stone - Clear purity see Rev. 21.11 Sardius Stone - Red Redemption Rainbow around the throne emerald the glory of God c. Stones and names indicating Each of the 12 Tribes of Israel have a representative stone Jasper Stone The First stone reflecting the tribe of Reuben the First born o Reuben means behold, a son Sardius Stone representing the last tribe Benjamin o Benjamin means son of my right hand Thus the two stones encompass all the other stones/tribes and indicate the First and the Last. o Indicates Christ as the firstborn as well as the one at the right hand of the Father. d. Furthermore: Thunder & flashes of lightning coming from the throne indicate the coming judgment The 24 Elders The 7 Lamps of Fire which are the 7 Spirits of God The 4 Living Creatures John F. Walvoord The person whom John sees on the throne looking like a jasper and sardine stone is, therefore, God in relation to the nation Israel.
III. The Response to God 24 Elders and the Living Creatures Activity of Heaven is Worship 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. 1) The 24 Elders FACTS: Called Elders There are 24 of them. See I Chronicles 24.1-19 as this appears to reflect the priesthood of the church in a completed sense the 24 divisions of the Levites indicates the fullness of the Levitical priesthood. Sitting down on thrones around the throne of God Dressed in white With golden crowns (stephanos) the crown of a victor Cast their crowns before the throne Worship God continuously vs. 11 Chapter 5 Able to speak vs. 5 Held harps and golden bowls of incense vs. 8 Sang a New song of praise for the Lamb s redemption vs. 9 There are many views on this I believe these are Elders representing the Church. o They are clothed in white indicating salvation (3.5) o sing a new song concerning salvation o have victor s wreaths due to having overcome - stephanos, victor crowns. (3.11)
Also, John states After these things which chronologically helps determine that what he is now seeing in the spirit is AFTER the things recorded prior meaning the messages to the churches. The Church then is represented as being in Heaven, the 24 Elders being a representation of the Church rather than a representation of Israel or a mixture of the two. These are not angels as angels do not receive redemption and in Rev. 7.11 the angels are seen as separate from the 24 Elders. 2) The Living Creatures - vs s 6-8 Revelation 4:7 8 6 and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within Vs. 6 in the center and around the throne four living creatures Full of eyes in front and behind All the creatures had six wings, with eyes around and within The Living Creatures with their six wings appear to be the Seraphim of Ez. 1. 4-21 This is a fascinating passage as Ezekiel goes into detail on the Creatures even more so than John. a. First Creature like a lion b. Second Creature like a calf c. Third Creature with a face like a man
d. Fourth Creature like a flying eagle The faces represented may be: The Son of God as seen in the Gospels: Matthew the lion royal lineage Mark the calf service Luke the man the son of man John the eagle the deity of Christ, the son of God Revelation 4:8 11 8b and day and night they do not cease to say, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. 9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created. All the creatures constantly are saying Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God who was and who is and who is to come. Worthy axios to measure up and be found equal in worth Glory & Honor & Power doxa, timn, dunamis Worship of God How are we practicing the presence of God in our daily lives? He is He is Holy He is Almighty who has created all things
The awesome reality of God should motivate our every thought and activity in worship to Him. Switzerland the mountains, the air, the beauty, overlooking the lake As a child remember recognizing this for the first time