To Him Who Sits On The Throne.
Revelation 4:1-11NKJV
In 1861 there was in England a man by the name of Reginald Heber who composed a hymn that has always been a favorite of mine. He used Isaiah 6:1-3 and Revelation 4:8-11, as the basis for this great hymn of the church.
The hymn is “Holy, holy, holy.”
This hymn declares some of the attributes of the Triune God, verse one says: “Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!”
Having finished the letters to the 7 churches of Asia. We will look at chapter four and five, of Revelation. In chapters 4 and 5, we will get a true picture of heaven. We will see God in three Persons, holy, mighty, merciful and worthy of our highest praise.
Revelation 4 and 5, center around the Throne of God, and we will see how it relates to everything else.
Revelation 4:1NKJV 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.”
John begins this chapter with the words, “After these things…”
This phrase is for us to understand that something is about to change, it is John’s marker in his chronology. It notes that this vision which we are about to look at.
John sees a vision of the risen, glorified, and exalted Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 4:1bNLT I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.”
This mighty voice (this trumpet blast) is the voice of our Lord and Savior!
Get this, Jesus is standing at the door. In fact, in John 10, Jesus is called the door, He’s the only door that leads into heaven.
Jesus said these words in, John 10:1-3NASB “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.
For those who are His—the redeemed, will enter into Jesus.
Jesus said in, John 15:11NASB These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
I don’t think we have experienced full joy, but as you enter through the door (Jesus), your joy will be full. Full joy can’t be explained, but it will be experienced.
Say, “full joy.”
Revelation 4:2NKJV Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
John was in the Spirit, he sees the throne, and the One who sat on the throne.
This throne is the centerfold of heaven, it’s the focal point of everything.
Isaiah 6:1NASB In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
This is a picture of heaven. Again, Jesus will be the central focus.
Revelation 4:3NKJV 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.
Notice, John doesn’t describe Jesus’ form, but his splendor.
In the book of Exodus, the high priest wore a breast plate, within this breast plate were 12 stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel.
The first stone on the breast plate was Sardius (Red), the tribe of Reuben.
The last stone in the high priest breast plate is emerald (green), Benjamin, the youngest son.
Revelation 21:11, Speaks more of this.
Let me just remind you that God hasn’t forgotten Israel, and He sure hasn’t forgotten you!
Revelation 4:4NKJV 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.
Revelation 21:12-14, speaks of the 12 tribes of Israel being represented, and the 12 apostles of Jesus.
They will be clothed in white garments, representing purity; they also will wear golden crowns on their heads, representing royalty.
Take note, all the redeemed will fall before King Jesus and worship Him, their crowns will be meaningless compared to the splendor of Jesus.
Revelation 4:5NKJV 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.
In the book of Exodus when God came down onto Mt. Sinai, also when God appeared to the prophet Ezekiel lightning, sounds, and peals of thunder were associated with God’s presence, but also, it represents God’s judgment that is about to come on the earth during the Tribulation.
John was seeing a preview of God’s wrath against the sinfulness and the rebellion of mankind on the earth.
Revelation 4:5b…Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
These 7 lamps represent completion, the Holy Spirit and His attributes. Isaiah 11:2, also speak of 7 attributes of God.
1. Spirit of the Lord.
2. Spirit of wisdom.
3. Spirit of understanding.
4. Spirit of counsel.
5. Spirit of power.
6. Spirit of knowledge.
7. Spirit of the fear of the Lord.
Revelation 4:6-7NKJV 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.
These creatures possibly represent a picture of animals—God’s creation, and all of the redeemed, worshiping our Lord and Savior.
Isaiah 65:25, The Loin will lay with the Lamb…
Complete Utopia—peace and harmony.
Revelation 4:8NKJV 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!”
Heaven is a perfect picture of God’s glory, with all His creation worshiping in perfect praise!
The way I see it—“I picture heaven being a perfect picture of crescendo. Praise for our Lord and Savior.”
The ‘One’ who willfully bled and died for our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Say’s, Jesus became our sin, or curse, so we might become the righteousness of God.
“When you’re born again, born from above, Jesus automatically places His righteousness upon you!” P.H
Revelation 4:9-11NKJV 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.”
Remember this, it’s not God's Republic, but God's Kingdom. He makes the rules.
There is no Senate House to debate about it, instead we worship saying "Worthy are you, our Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, by your will they existed and were created.”
This worship will be God-centered, and God- ordained. The 24 elders, along with all of the heavenly host will worship!
Again Revelation 4:11...by your will they existed and were created"
It’s not by our debate and conclusion, were they created. It's Him and Him alone. It's either God's way or No way. It's His terms and not our terms.
The Kingdom of Heaven is not for the well-meaning, no, it’s for the desperate.
A well known man once told about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child; the winner was a four-year-old boy. His next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into his gentleman’s yard, climbed into his lap and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing. I just helped him cry."
Can I tell you according to Hebrews 7:25, Jesus prays over you. He pleads, “Come to Jesus, He loves you and He’s waiting!” P.H
Benediction.
