Revelation Study Series 9 - God’s Mysterious Plan Fulfilled
12.12.21
Message…
I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk by Your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes would see
When Your face is before me
I can only imagine
I Can Only Imagine, MercyMe
What if you could do more than imagine it? What if you could see it? John did! And, he tells us what he saw and heard…
Revelation 4:1-3
1 Then as I looked, 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.”
2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it.
3 The One sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled His throne like a rainbow.
John got a glimpse of heaven...a glimpse of what is and what will be! He wrote down what he saw, what he heard, and what he experienced.
It’s all exciting, fascinating and hard to grasp. It’s great John recorded it…even greater God wanted you to more than imagine it, but know about it!
John heard a voice like a trumpet blast...loud, with authority. This booming voice called to him/invited him, “Come up here, John...I want to show you what is, and what is to come!”
Immediately John was standing before a throne in heaven, and on that throne...someone was seated.
I remember as a little boy, my family took a trip to Washington, D.C....as we toured all the things to see, the White House, the Washington monument...one of the most vivid memories I have is standing in front of the Lincoln memorial.
There really is no way to describe it...those of you that have visited will understand.
There I stood in front of that marble statue of Abraham Lincoln seated. The sculpture portrays him with that piercing deep look from his eyes. I was just awestruck. Even as a young child, only 7 or 8...I was in awe...proud and humbled all together. It made me all the more wish that I had been able to have met him.
It is strange that all of those feelings and emotions came from looking at a marble statue.
John stood before the throne. He stood not before a statue, but a Holy presence! There is no doubt that John was taken back by what he saw…
Revelation 4:3
3 The One sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled His throne like a rainbow.
This is a very intriguing verse. This is not the first time that these gemstones are talked about in the Bible.
In the book of Exodus, God gave Moses instructions for the tabernacle and the office of the high priest.
The high priest would go into the Tabernacle and enter the Holy of Holies, and there before the Ark of the Covenant, where the presence of the Lord dwelt...he would offer the sacrifice that had been made for the sins of the Children of Israel.
Every detail of the tabernacle, the office of the priest, the sacrifice, the way God was to be worshiped...it was all given to Moses as instructed by God.
Even the clothing that the priest wore was designed and laid out by God. All of these things represented something...the Bible even tells us that they were patterned after heaven. (Heb. 8:5)
There was a certain article of clothing called the “breastplate of judgment”/ “chestpiece” that was to be attached to the priest's clothing…
Exodus 28:15-21
15 “Then, with great skill and care, make a chestpiece to be worn for seeking a decision from God. Make it to match the ephod, using finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.
16 Make the chestpiece of a single piece of cloth folded to form a pouch nine inches square.
17 Mount four rows of gemstones on it. The first row will contain a red carnelian, a pale-green peridot, and an emerald.
18 The second row will contain a turquoise, a blue lapis lazuli, and a white moonstone.
19 The third row will contain an orange jacinth, an agate, and a purple amethyst.
20 The fourth row will contain a blue-green beryl, an onyx, and a green jasper. All these stones will be set in gold filigree.
21 Each stone will represent one of the twelve sons of Israel, and the name of that tribe will be engraved on it like a seal.
Four rows of three stones...twelve in all...all of them mounted on this chest piece/breastplate.
The twelve stones represented the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel. All of them were arranged in order according to birth.
The Bible tells us that the priest was to wear this upon his heart as he entered into the presence of the Lord.
You may have picked out that in the first row...the very first stone mentioned is the carnelian...the jasper was the last row, the last stone…
John saw the first stone and the last stone! (“I am the first and the last”; Isa. 44:6, Rev. 22:13)
Dr. Harry Ironside explained…
Each stone represented a tribe of the children of Israel...the carnelian, the tribe of Reuben...his name means, “behold a son”.
Jasper was the tribe of Benjamin...his name means, “son of my right hand”.
So John describes what he saw…this One, “behold a Son”, the “Son of My right hand”....the first, and the last!
You can’t make this Bible anymore interesting, exciting!
John saw the Lord on His throne!
Revelation 4:3
3 The One sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled His throne like a rainbow.
Notice the order of describing the gemstones. We said the first stone on the chest piece was carnelian. The last was jasper. The order is changed here in this verse, coincidence? Or is it telling us that the first shall be last and the last first? (Matt. 20:16)
Vs. 3 describes an emerald glow coming from the throne.
Author, Tim Lehaye explains it as a round rainbow...not a half rainbow that we see on earth...but a never ending circular rainbow of emerald green indicating our Lord's eternal nature. (p. 79, “Revelation”; Tim Lehaye)
Revelation 4:4
4 Twenty-four thrones surrounded Him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.
Opinions differ as to who these twenty-four elders are. Some suggest they are the twelve patriarchs...fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel, along with the twelve apostles.
Some say that they are not men, but angels that represent and lead the heavenly host in worship of God. We don’t know. You will one day, believer meet them!
Revelation 4:5
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God.
John saw and heard judgment coming from the One on the throne. And he saw the sevenfold Spirit of God. (Isa. 11:2-5)
Revelation 4:6-8
6 In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back.
7 The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.
8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. ...
These four living beings are complicated. But, also fascinating! I will probably make you leave here with more questions than answers...but, also wanting more...
John is describing what he saw…
Four created beings...alive...one with the face of a lion...one with the face of an ox...one with a human face...and the fourth with the face of an eagle in flight.
They all have six wings...and their wings had eyes all over them (John is describing “Seraphim”, first mentioned in Isaiah. “Seraphim” - “burning with fire”…
When the tribes of the Children of Israel would encamp around the tabernacle they were specifically instructed where each tribe would be located and what banner/flag would represent them...
It’s no coincidence that these living beings with these four faces are symbolically similar to the banner representation of these tribes of the Children of Israel!
One commentary stated…
“John describes the first living creature as resembling a lion. The lion is purported to be the king of animals, so it is a fitting symbol of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew that was written to present Jesus as Israel's king. We find in Matthew's Gospel many references to Israel's king and his kingdom.
The ox, used in Bible times for sacrifice and service, is an appropriate symbol for Mark's Gospel that presents Jesus as having come to earth "to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).
The third living creature had a man's face. This creature symbolizes Luke's presentation of Jesus as the perfect man. Often the Gospel of Luke calls Jesus "the son of man" (see, for example, Luke 9:22, 26).
The fourth living creature to catch John's eye was a flying eagle. The eagle flies high above other birds and typically builds its nest in a lofty crag. As such, it aptly portrays Jesus in John's Gospel as the Son of God. Jesus is high above mortals, but He descended from this home in heaven to give Himself as the sacrifice for our sins (John 3:13–16).” -https://www.bibleref.com/Revelation/4/Revelation-4-7.html
As fascinating, and beyond our human understanding as to what John saw…As much as we would like answers to all the things he described…
…The central focus of our text is the Lord, and the central purpose is the worship of the Lord!
(vs. 8)... Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the One who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
Revelation 4:9-11
9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the One sitting on the throne (the One who lives forever and ever),
10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the One sitting on the throne (the One who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because You created what You pleased.”
John 1:3 God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.
Colossians 1:16
16 for through Him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him.
You and I are created beings. You and I are created with purpose. You and I were created for His purpose.
Our ultimate purpose is to worship the One who is worthy...worthy of glory and honor...the One seated on the throne!
What do I do with what is written here?
The whole chest piece gemstone thing is incredible!
The four living beings with their four faces...fascinating!
God gave so much detail and instruction for Moses and the Children of Israel of how to construct that chestpiece! They all thought it was about one thing…yet, all the while it had a deeper, greater meaning for Who was to come.
The arrangement of how the Children of Israel were instructed to camp around the tabernacle...that the very banners/flags they would have outside their camp would be the pattern of something in heaven…
If God can orchestrate all that, to the most minute detail...can He not also orchestrate the details in your life?!
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. NKJV
Many of you may know that verse by heart…and you should! This is one of those you should memorize!
For the one who loves God…He orchestrates every detail! He works out all things! (Not some, not a few…all!!!)
You may not know where your life is headed, or even your day! But, He does!!! Trust Him! Love Him! Let Him move you toward your purpose!
If you would get a glimpse of heaven like John did it should move you to worship!
If you glimpse the Lord on the throne it should change you! And, if you can’t see Him on the throne…you need to get there!
Whatever is going on in your life...the Lord is on the throne...He is in control, He reigns!
You should live a life that worships Him!
Your purpose begins, exists, and forever will be to worship Him!
Acts 17:28 For in Him we live and move and exist.
Let God orchestrate every detail of your life as you love Him! Let your life’s purpose be to worship Him!
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. NIV
Surrounded by Your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You Jesus
Or in awe of You, be still?
Will I stand in Your presence
Or to my knees, will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine, I can only imagine, I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son
I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship You
I can only imagine, yeah
I can only imagine
