Alpha and Omega, Part 28, Revelation Part 5
Worship in Heaven
Revelation 4:1-11
Introduction
- Last week we concluded our study of the letters to the 7 churches
-- We had several take-aways to consider, prayerfully you are still haunted by it
-- Each church must examine it’s faithfulness to Christ – He MUST be our focus
- Today, we begin our examination of the second great vision given to John
-- Why? The message to the churches is now complete – now we look ahead
-- BIG APP: The instruction is clear – return to and follow Christ alone
- And this week, we will restart our Wednesday night studies (6:30pm)
-- It’s an opportunity to come with questions & where we can discuss freely
-- Truly, we are all students of the Word, so why not spend time digging in?
-- Plan on being different than just me talking … at least that is my hope!
- We’ve arrived at the time for the church (believers) to see what is to come
• First three messages: what has been and what is
• Moving forward: the things that are to occur (from present to future)
-- Instruction to John was clear: Revelation 1:19, “Write down what you have seen - both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen.”
- Read Revelation 4:1-11 / Pray
- TR: The first thing John sees and reveals to us is …
Point 1 – The Throne of God
- Question: How is John introduced to God in Heaven? Simple …
a. He saw a door opened in Heaven
-- This is a vision directly from God, and John is being invited into God’s presence
- Note: There are three doors mentioned in Heaven
• An open door for evangelism (Rev 3:8, “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.”)
• The door of the human heart (Rev 3:20, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”)
• Finally, the door of revelation (re-read Rev 4:1) – John’s invitation to see
b. He is invited by a commanding, discernable voice
- This is the same voice He hears in Revelation 1:10, “It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast.” – same angel who calls to him then and is his guide in this
-- APP: It is a voice of authority that leads Him (and leads us in this vision)
c. John was physically called to come up to Heaven
- Greek: anabainó (ana-bino); to go up, to ascend APP: He was called to come
-- Why? To see the future events – to be shown what God wants us to know
-- Critical to know: What John will now be shown is what will take place
-- This vision must take place because of God’s holiness; He wants church to know
- See this: When called, John was immediately in the Spirit
-- This is a deeper experience than just your prayer life, a special revelation
-- This is an invitation to come and see, to enter presence, to write these things
- And in this, he sees the most astounding site known to man (v1)
-- He is transported into the holiest place – before the very throne of God
-- Emphatically, He sees and declares who this is … it is God alone!
-- Greek: idou (eh-vu); look! Behold! “Wow!”
- With all sovereignty, power, and authority – John sees God the Creator
-- He possesses supreme majesty, and in His hands is the future of the world
- To John, God is seen as light – a brilliant light of immense beauty
-- Psalmist realized this vision in Psalm 104:2, “You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens”
Display Image of the Throne Room
- He is seen as One with extreme beauty, made of precious gems and jewels
• The countenance of God is that of a jasper stone – clear and brilliant
• The sardine stone was a fiery red, represents the justice of God
• The rainbow was that of emerald (green), representing the mercy of God
-- REF Genesis 9:11-17 … God’s promise of grace, of mercy, of compassion
-- Visual reminder of the promise He made to humanity, placing it in the sky
- This representation is the only thing that man truly needs to look for
-- We need to crave for and want to enter that light as soon as possible
-- It represents all that we need, and all that will be given to humanity
-- From that place, comes the salvation of God through Jesus Christ
- TR: Now see this, God is not alone in His throne room …
Point 2 – The 24 Elders and the 4 Creatures around God’s Throne
- We see that God is accompanied by 24 elders sitting around the throne (v4)
-- APP: This is a place of honor, they reside near God and resting with Him
This will be our focus for Wednesday night: “Who are these elders?”
- But for today, let’s look at what John is seeing for our understanding
• The 24 are clothed in white:
o They represent the purity that comes from the throne
o There is no imperfection … they are complete in God’s presence
• The 24 each have crown of gold on their heads:
o They hold positions of authority in the presence of God
o They oversee things for and with God – rule and reign with Him
- To describe the impact of the Throne would be difficult, but John says (v5-6)
a. There is the commanding voice of God, a voice of power and strength
- John hears it as a combination of many voices with lightnings and thunder
-- Literally: As God speaks, lightning crashes and thunder rolls in the room
-- Yes, Grace is still there, but so is the holiness, righteousness, and authority
- Isaiah also saw this – as the voice spoke, even the temple foundations shook
-- Isaiah 6:4, “Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.” … Consider, a voice that shakes God’s temple!
- Get this: God is not “the man upstairs” or some other trivial nickname we have
-- He is sovereign: One who demands our worship and is qualified to receive it
-- He is also absolute in His decrees – APP: His proclamations are final!
b. There are 7 torches burning in front of the Throne
- This is the representation, as John sees it, of the Holy Spirit before God
-- Seven is the number of perfection - this is the Spirit rep. in complete fullness
-- The Spirit represents the wisdom and compassion of God, in God’s presence
c. There is a sea of glass stretching out before the Throne
- It appears like a transparent sea, made of crystal, and shimmering before God
-- Elders of Israel saw this also, Exodus 24:10, “There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself.”
-- Ezekiel also saw this same vision, Ezekiel 1:22, “Spread out above them was a surface like the sky, glittering like crystal.”
- AMP: God instructed the temple to be built on Earth; replicate what is in Heaven
-- This is a whole other sermon, but it’s important to know how this fits!
-- Hebrews 8:5 tells us of the importance, “They serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.”
- Don’t miss this: The temple was made specific because God decreed it!
-- Why? Because we could not worship Him in person, thus, the replication
-- And eventually, see our need for Jesus to satisfy the debt of sin – all God’s plan!
- This sea of glass also represents the value and preciousness of God’s presence
-- It shows the brilliance and clarity of His ability to see what is before Him
-- It also shows His capability to see all, to know all, AND to judge all
-- APP: Nothing is hidden from His sight – He has a perfect view of everything
-- Note that even the four living creatures are covered with eyes to see!
- Let’s talk about them … Surrounding the Throne are four living creatures (v6-9)
-- They have a very specific place and a duty before God’s throne:
• They are always found near the Throne of God
• They have six wings and are full of eyes to see what God’s needs to see
• Their function has to do with the holiness and the wrath of God
• Big: They declare the holiness of God night and day (this is their job)
- John describes them and their appearance using understandable traits
• Lion – signifies supremacy (Greek: leon) (lay-on)
• Ox – signifies strength (Greek: moschos) (mos-chos)
• Man – signifies intelligence (Greek: anthropos) (On-thro-pos)
• Eagle – signifies swiftness (Greek: aetos) (eye-tos)
- Their function is to glorify God – in this they call others to worship
-- They exemplify the role that we must have as well: to praise & honor God
-- 1 Pet 1:16, “For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
- Their duty is to be in worship – to praise – so why would we not be as well?
-- They also represent what God says, and they demonstrate His worthiness
-- Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.”
- The elders are called by their praise to respond: (v10)
• Every time creatures worship, they bow down in reverence to God
• Why? They are His subjects and in complete service to God’s commands
• In sight of God’s worthiness, they even return (or cast) their crowns
• Vocally, they declare their presence to the One who is worthy
-- Why is this important to you and I today? Why do we need to see/know this?
BIG IDEA
- OUCH: We worship God so little that even their presence ought to indict us
-- It ought to motivate us to want Him more, to need Him more, to honor Him
-- They surround the throne and represent what it looks like to adore God
- At the throne, something incredible is happening … and it’s happening NOW
- Greek: ho kurious kai ho Theos hemon
- Trans: Thou art worthy, our Lord, and our God
- Heaven’s Declaration:
-- God, you are supreme – you are first in the universe – you are worthy
-- You are the creator of all things – in You we find our needs fulfilled
-- You are the One who gives all, or provides all, that we will ever need
- CHALL: Is this how you cry out to Him as well? When?
-- We’ll pick this up on Wednesday night …
- Pray
