Revelation 2012: Part #4 - A Glimpse Of Heaven Series

REVELATION 2012: #4 – A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN

REVIEW: Over the past couple of weeks, we have been studying the Book of Revelation.

• In chapter one, we saw John in exile on Patmos receive a vision of Jesus.

• In chapters 2-3, we saw the first six letters that Jesus wrote to seven churches in Asia.

• Themes we have discovered in Revelation: Jesus, His second coming, and worship.

OPENING TEXT:

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.” (Col. 3:1-2, NLT).

• We’re going to take pull back the curtain and peek into Heaven today.

• What will Heaven be like? Not walking around on clouds wearing white dresses playing harps and eating Philly cream cheese!

“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.” (Rev. 4:1).

• John saw a door open in Heaven, and an angel said, “Come up here.”

• In Ch. 4, John has a Vision of God the Father, declaring God’s POWER as our Creator:

REVELATION COMPARED WITH EZEKIEL:

“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.” (Rev. 4:2).

• One of the themes in Revelation is the throne – God is on the throne!

• “God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.” (Psalm 47:8).

• Jesus is the main character in Revelation, and the throne is a main prop.

• We still have thrones today – how many of you dads have a throne? I have a ‘throne’.

• Four purposes of thrones: A King to rule, a judge to render a verdict, a warrior to celebrate victory over his foes and a priest to mediate between people and God = Jesus!

“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.” (Rev. 4:3).

• In Heaven, there is an explosion of light and color and sounds.

• Remember Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12).

• “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it.” (Rev. 21:23).

• That’s why we love good lighting & colour – God is Creator and creative!

• Beauty is one of the attributes of God.

• Rainbow - covenant mercy. Gen. 9:13 – “I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.”

O.T. PROPHET CROSS REFERENCE:

“26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord…” (Ezekiel 1:26-28).

• The more familiar you are with the OT, the better you will understand Revelation.

“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. (Rev. 4:4).

v.4 - around God’s throne = 24 elders seated and wearing white robes and gold crowns

“Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates… and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel… Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Rev. 21:12-14).

- 24 - 12 tribes of Israel (Old Covenant) & 12 disciples of Jesus (New Covenant)

THE 24 ELDERS:

- sitting = rest and satisfaction (we have overcome & are victorious in Heaven)

- white robes = righteousness (we have become the righteousness of God in Christ)