Teacher: Elder Clarence E. Weaver, Sr.
Key Verse: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power:
for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created – Revelation 4:11
DECLARATION
I am a child of God, born of the Spirit of God, filled with the Spirit of God, and led by the Spirit of God. I listen to my heart as I look to my spirit inside me. I will educate, train, and develop my human spirit to the Word of God.
LESSON AIM
Encourage people to praise God as the Creator and Sustainer
INTRODUCTION
In today’s lesson John’s description of heaven reminds us that we serve a God of order and harmony, not of chaos or anarchy. John paints a portrait of form, structure, harmony, precision, and dignity. God never result in disarray “God is not the author of confusion but of peace 1 Corinthians 14:33”.
There is a great lesson to be learned from the dictionary.
• When things start going bad, we often fear they will only get worse.
• It seems that "worse" will take us to the "worst".
• Our nation seems to be moving from “worse” to “worst” – at least that is what many of us are saying regarding the war situation and the economy and the direction our political leaders are taking this country.
• To prevent the "worse" from turning in to the "worst" look at the unique set up God has provided in the English language.
• Any standard dictionary will separate the words "worse" (and its derivatives) and "worst" with one special word – "worship."
• When circumstances seem to be slipping in the wrong direction, remember that worship is the buffer between "worse" and "worst".
Remember that when the praises goes up the blessing comes down.
I. In Heaven’s Throne Room Revelation 4:1-5 KJV
A. The Command to Come: verse 1
1. A door standing open in heaven.
Doors play a prominent role in the final two messages to the churches. While Jesus himself provides the open door for the church in Philadelphia (3:8), the Laodiceans are required to open the door to fellowship with Jesus in (3:20). In verse (4:1) John hear a familiar voice that early instruct him to write to the seven churches now invites him to leave earth and enter into the heaven realm. What John sees next is “what to take place later.
B. The Glory of the Lord: verse 2-3
1a. So, Jesus tells John he’s about to see "what must take place after this…"
BUT, instead of the horrendous pictures of War and Famine and Pestilence that people often associate with Revelation… instead, we find ourselves in God’s throne room witnessing an awesome worship service - filled with strange sights and sounds
• lightning and thunder and rumblings in the distance
• beautiful colors
• unusual creatures
• And an inspiring example of how to praise God
2. Out -of – Spirit Experience
When you come into the presence of the Lord you will immediately be filled with the Holy Spirit. When God Show you things in the spirit, stay in the spirit. Make sure you write the vision and make it plain so that you may fulfill your destination. John saw Jesus on the Throne in heaven surrounded by something like a laser light show without all the loud music.
3. Symbols in the Throne Room
a. Jasper and Carnelian are the first and last stones in the breastplate of Israelite high priest see (Exodus 28:15-20). Jasper, which flashes a white light, is similar to a diamond and stands for purity and holiness of Jesus. Carnelian, which flashes fiery red, symbolizes the blood that Jesus shed on the cross. These stones remind us of Jesus majesty and splendor and that we have access to God through Jesus, our forever high priest.
b. The rainbow and emerald, the rainbow was first given to Noah as a sign that God was never again destroy the earth in a flood. John saw a rainbow surrounding God’s throne, showing that God won’t destroy the earth during the Tribulation. The rainbow is a reminder that God keeps his promises. The emerald mentioned here symbolizes eternal life that comes only from God.
C. The 24 Elders: verse 4
1. Their white garments, crowns, and thrones are eschatological rewards already promised to the victors (2:10; 3:5, 21) and they are clearly distinguished from the angels. These Elders with their golden incense bowl later serve as representative priest of the old and New Testament saints.
2. Their white robe represents the righteousness of God.
D. The Sevenfold Spirit: verses 5-6
1. The storm John describes foresees God judgment. God’s patience with those on earth is just about through.
2. The sevenfold spirit of God is referring to the totality and purity of the Holy Spirit and His ministry that is stated in Isaiah 11:2 which is the Spirit of rest, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of counsel, the Spirit of power, the Spirit of knowledge, and the Spirit of the fear of the LORD.
II. The Worshipers at the Throne Revelation 4:6-11
A. The Four Living Creatures: verses 6-8
1. When John looked before the throne, he saw four living creatures and a sea of crystal-clear glass. The sea of glass might be the church, because it is a biblical symbol for all mankind; the water of the Word; or the water of baptism.
2. The four creatures that have eyes in the front and back indicate they can see all that is happening in every direction and they possess characteristic of seraphim which are angels that worship God and are associated with God’s judgment. Cherubim are angels that guarded the tree of life in the Guarded of Eden and guard God’s throne (Verse 6).
3. The powerful display John sees in heaven isn’t really about animals. The animals are symbolic descriptions of Jesus as king on earth, a servant, a human, and the king of the skies (verse 7).
• Lion-Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah (5:5). The Lion rules the jungle and Jesus rules the world and He is also called the King of the Jews.
• Ox-Jesus came to earth to serve (Mark 10:45. In a similar way that an ox carries its burden, Jesus carried our burden of sins to the cross on his shoulders.
• Man-Jesus was human, the Son of man. His human side helped him experience everything that we experience without sin, and allowed him to empathize with our needs.
• Eagle-Just as an eagle rules the skies, Jesus riles the heavens and controls all things.
1. The Praise Offered by the Living Creatures: verse 8
Six wings, two for covering their face, two for covering their feet and two for flying.
2. Their eyes symbolize God’s omniscience and function like the eyes of the sevenfold Spirit; they don’t sleep a wink and keep their eyes open at all time never stop praising God! Their whole purpose is to worship God around the clock.
3. The threefold repetition of the word holy underscore the fact that God is absolute sinless, that He is the all-powerful Ruler of the universe and He is not bound by the limitations of time. Lord God Almighty indicates God supremacy over all things.
C. The Praise Offered by the 24 Elders: verses 9-11
1. The living creatures begin the euphony of worship around by celebrating God as the eternal One of all times (verse 9).
2. The 24 Elders are seen prostrate before God’s throne and placed their crowns at the base of His royal seat because it is fitting acts of worship to give to the one who controls all time and people. Worship was more than just a vocal expression; it also involved physical action.
a. Crowns present by the 24 Elders to God are a typical act of submission and worship verse 10.
3. The elders express their worship to God who is worthy to receive three things: glory, honor, and power. Two reasons are given for His worthiness. First he has created everything. Second, not only did he bring the world into existence, but he sustains his creation by his powerful word (verse 11).
CONCLUSION
Revelation’s portrayal of heavenly worship suggests that worship should be an integral part of the Christian life. It is to be more than a weekly experience done as part of a worship service rather it is an ongoing activity base on our relationship with the living God. Worship can be expressed through singing, crying out, or shouting. It is also expressed by various postures such as standing, kneeling, or falling prostrate. Jesus overcame the devil’s temptation with this declaration, “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” (Luke 4:5-8; Deuteronomy 6:13). By worshiping God and the Lamb, we as Christians, in essence, deny worship to the devil’s beast, that arises in each generation.
