Heavenly Worship Pt 1 Series

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

“Heavenly Worship”

Review

God told Jesus (1:1) what to reveal to His bondservant concerning end time events.

He communicated it by His angel to John who in turn passed it on in writing to the seven churches of Asia and ultimately to us today. Jesus provided a basic structure for the understanding of revelation at the end of chapter one.

Write what you have seen (1), what is (2) and what will take place after these things (4-22)

The book of Revelation first begins with a prologue or introduction.

I. PROLOGUE 1:1-20 (Things you have seen)

II. Messages to the Seven churches 2-3 (Things with are)

III. Last Days 4-22 (Things which are about to take place)

A. Heavenly worship around the throne 4-5

1. Worship of Him who sits on the Throne 4

HEAVENLY WORSHIP AROUND THE THRONE – PART ONE

Introduction

Chapter four begins the third section of Revelation dealing with the things which are about to take place triggered by John's use of "after these things". The celestial scene recorded by John in chapter 4&5 lays the groundwork for all that will take place throughout the rest of the book where the Almighty and the Lamb and the Holy Spirit bring the culmination plan conceived before the foundation of the world. Chapter 4 focuses on the author of all creation sitting on His heavenly throne. By the end of the book we will see the renovation of creation in the new heaven and earth. Chapter 5 focuses on the author of redemption the Triumphant Lamb before the throne. By the end of the book we will see the completion of redemption stretching into eternity.

John described some things that can be understood but there are other things that just require us only to watch and hear and wonder at the awesomeness of our God in the heavens. We find five glorious hymns of praise recorded in these two chapters. Two directed to the Creator on the throne. Two directed to the Lamb before the throne. A fifth directed to God Creator and the Lamb.

? The directive to enter the throne room

1 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." Revelation 4:1

John first saw a door to heaven standing open. He did not see the door open, but all of a sudden he noticed an open door. He invites the reader to “behold” or look intently. He invites us to visualize the scene as he describes it. He draws us into the whole experience. “Look! An door open to heaven!”

God permitted Paul to see into this realm but did not permit Him to talk about what He saw. (2 Cor 12:4)

this

The word “heaven” appears 52 times in revelation and over 500 times in the Bible.

The atmosphere of sky

Outer Space

Cosmic order of creation -- heavenlies

God’s dwelling place

This is obviously a reference to where God chooses to manifest its presence. God’s “heaven” appears to be part material, part immaterial or invisible. Perhaps it is a different dimension completely invisible to us at this time. Because you don’t see something does not mean it isn’t real.

Jesus instructed John to write down what he did see. He commissioned John to describe the indescribable. It would be like asking person from and isolated African village to describe Las Vegas. John could only use vocabulary and elements familiar to him to describe the unfamiliar.

John had to employ highly symbolic language to express what he literally saw. The concept of the open door indicates a window; only a partial view into heaven otherwise hidden or intentionally blocked from view. It was the gateway to the heavenlies. Here begins and final interchange between heaven and earth; the powers of darkness and the Kingdom of God.

This is the final showdown when His Kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. This is the final answer to the prayer prayed by millions of people through the centuries.

Jesus instructed John to "come up here." This was more than a cordial invitation, it was a command. This box seat will be John's vantage point throughout most of the rest of the book of Revelation. John immediately recognized the powerful “trumpet-like voice” as the one he heard earlier and identified as the resurrected Jesus. The trumpet sound to a Hebrew indicated a monumental event about to occur. Jesus offered to show John “what must take place. There is no textual reason to interpret this as the rapture of the church as many do.