The Vision of God's Throne
Book of Revelation
Chapter 4 Verses 1 through 11
It should be very
clear John is speaking the words given to Him by the Holy Spirit!
It is after the
Words spoken by our Lord to the Church that the Lord will reveal the
"Rapture of the Church" in this passage.
John's job remained
the same! He was to write down the things he heard and the things
that he saw.
John is now writing
of the things that happen immediately after the Church Age comes to
an end.
Remember the purpose
of our Lord Jesus in the Book of Revelation, is to reveal the truth.
Our Lord Jesus will never hide things from us!
Not many places in
the Scriptures have given us the privilege to see into the Throne
Room of God and none have been given us the view that John saw!
John saw a door
opened into Heaven while the Church was still located upon this
earth.
The golden candle
sticks were still upon earth.
The seven stars were
still upon earth in the hand of Jesus.
Now we get a
realistic view of the things in Heaven.
*****Rev 4:1 After
this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the
first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with
me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which
must be hereafter.
It is like John was
saying, "I have been looking up toward Heaven all these years
and all of a sudden a door was opened, and I could see inside".
As believers we
pray, we feel, we know, that we have a Heavenly Father and one day
"we will see Him face to face"!
Not that we will see
through some door, but we will see "because we will be at home".
In this passage the
Apostle John is in fact, a type of the Church.
The Church will see
what happens immediately after the Church Age ends, with the end of
the Laodicean Church Age which is the one we are in now!
We all have a
tendency to say, "I know who sits on the throne", well on
this day, we will meet Him.
John did not imagine
these things for John saw these things!
The Lord Jesus had
been standing in the midst of the seven candlesticks holding the
seven stars.
We must also
remember that the Lord Jesus Christ is that "Door", that is
now opened to the Church after the end of the Church Age.
Joh 10:9 I am the
door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in
and out, and find pasture.
The truth is at the
end of the Church Age, Heaven will be laid open to receive the Saints
of God.
Those that are alive
and remaining, and those in the graves whose souls are already with
the Lord.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I
shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed,
1Co 15:52 In a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed.
1Th 4:13 But I
would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which
are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep
in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this
we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and
remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are
asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore
comfort one another with these words.
How do we know?
John says: "the
first voice which I heard, as it were a trumpet talking to me; which
said Come up hither"
That word "Come"
was a command!
When the Lord says
"Come", He has already made the pathway to Him or we could
say, the Lord has already built the bridge for safe passage!
The Lord said by the
Holy Spirit "Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which
"must" be hereafter".
These will be all
the things that take place after the Church is in Heaven with the
Lord!
Now we know that no
man (or woman) can meet the Lord in the flesh as we have upon this
earth, which is sinful, so the Scripture does not fail to mention,
that John was in the spirit. John was not in the flesh!
*****Rev 4:2 And
immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in
heaven, and one sat on the throne.
Immediately, as in
the twinkle of the eye, as in a split second, John found himself in
the throne room of God.
We know from the
Scriptures that even after our salvation, we will face the Lord at
His "Judgment Seat".
Php 1:6 Being
confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in
you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Php 1:10 That ye
may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and
without offence till the day of Christ;
Php 1:11 Being
filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ,
unto the glory and praise of God.
This not a
"Judgment" for salvation, because once we had accepted the
Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, that cannot be taken away from us.
It is a "Judgment"
for what we have done after becoming a child of God, while still upon
this earth.
2Co 5:7 (For we
walk by faith, not by sight:)
2Co 5:8 We are
confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and
to be present with the Lord.
2Co 5:9 Wherefore
we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of
him.
2Co 5:10 For we
must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one
may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath
done, whether it be good or bad.
1Co 3:11 For other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12 Now if any
man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood,
hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every
man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every
man's work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any
man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a
reward.
1Co 3:15 If any
man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself
shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
What we should know
is at the same time we are at the "Judgment Seat of the Lamb",
the earth and those who remain have been given over to the Antichrist
for seven long years of “Tribulation”!
2Th 2:5 Remember ye
not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye
know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the
mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will
let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then
shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the
spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming:
2Th 2:9 Even him,
whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs
and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with
all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because
they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
The Holy Spirit
returned to Heaven with the Church, and is no longer a hindrance to
that Wicked One, we know is Satan the Devil and his demons!
But, lets save that
for later and have a look at our Savior.
Now how is the
appearance of our Savior?
*****Rev 4:3 And he
that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and
there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an
emerald.
The Jasper stone is
a stone that glitters and is a stone of various colors which causes
it to glitter and it is the stone most precious and it clear as
crystal, as a diamond.
Rev 21:11 Having
the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious,
even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
But that is not all.
Another color as described by John as he looked upon our Savior was
as the sardine stone.
As the Lord
glittered crystal clear, He would also have that "red color"
to remind us that we had been washed in the pure red "Blood of
the Lamb".
As we see a rainbow
upon this earth, we can only see a half circle, but at the Judgment
Seat of Christ we will get to see the whole circle of the rainbow.
The glow of the Lord as Jasper and as Sardine with the glow of an
emerald.
You cannot miss this
“emerald glow” if you look close at a rainbow today.
Emerald is known as
the glowing stone! The Greek word used here describes this glow as a
live coal drawn from a furnace. Glittering and shimmering and
announcing the absolute "Grace" of God which is the theme
of the "Judgment Seat of the Lord Jesus Christ".
What a site to
behold! Not enough words to give us the full picture, but just enough
words to show us the "Glory" of God the Son.
Round about that
throne we see the Church.
*****Rev 4:4 And
round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats
I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and
they had on their heads crowns of gold.
We all know that
numbers are used in the Scriptures for specific reasons. So then is
the number 24.
The number 24 is a
multiple of the number 12.
The number 12 can be
found in 187 places in the Word of God. The Book of Revelation alone
has 22 occurrences of the number 12.
The meaning of 12,
which is considered a perfect number, is that it symbolizes God's
power and authority.
The number 12 also
serves as a perfect foundation of the Church!
The number 12 also
symbolizes completeness!
Completeness in the
Church because the Church is built upon the Apostle’s Doctrine! The
Lord Jesus chose 12 Apostles when we count the Apostle Paul.
Completeness in the
true Israel as Israel had 12 sons!
The number 24 is
then associated with the priesthood of the believer!
1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as
lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:6 Wherefore
also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief
corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not
be confounded.
1Pe 2:7 Unto you
therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be
disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is
made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8 And a stone
of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at
the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
The number 24 being
a multiple of 12 is then the complete Church!
Since the number 24
it is composed of a multiple of 12, it takes on some of 12's meaning
(which is God's power and authority, as well as perfect foundation)
except in a higher form.
Twenty-four,
therefore, is also connected with the worship of God, especially at
the Temple.
It was King David
who divided those responsible for the music in the Temple services,
those who served as priests, and the Levites who aided the priests,
into 24 courses (1Chronicles 23 - 24).
These 24 persons are
called elders. The number 24 here represents the enlargement of the
Church through all the Church Age.
Jehovah is not just
the God of Israel, not just the God of the Church by His Son Jesus,
but He is God of this entire earth and God of all His creation!
Though saints
usually stand upon earth. In Heaven these elders are a symbol of the
“dignity and rest” and "Holy happiness", having
overcome the wickedness of Satan and "Redeemed by the Blood of
the Lamb".
They now possess the
rewards for their work upon this earth, represented by the crowns
upon their head.
Remember there are 5
crowns subject to the work of believers after our Salvation. There
are no works before our salvation that account for anything to our
God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The first crown
mentioned is the "incorruptible" crown. This means it is a
crown that will never be destroyed; it will never turn to dust. We
will be immortal, and so will this crown.
The "crown of
rejoicing" is one example of when we, as Christian believers,
will be expected to loudly rejoice or exalt. When Christ comes back
and we will all be together, we can let everyone else know about it.
Our brothers and sisters in Christ will make up the "crown of
rejoicing".
The "crown of
righteousness". Paul says he has fought a good fight -- he did
not give up, lie down, or quit. He finished his race -- he kept
believing. Because of this, a crown of righteousness has been
reserved for him, and for others who look forward to the appearing of
Jesus Christ.
'Righteousness'
means that something is just and right! How many times have we read a
news story, or seen something on television that made us say, "It
just isn't right"? That will not happen even onetime once Christ
returns! Paul wrote this to the church in order to exhort them (us)
to stand for God in light of the hope of the return of Jesus Christ.
If we look forward to our "crown of righteousness", we can
stand firm and sure right now.
Today as this Corona
Virus spreads around the world, we as Christians, must stand firm on
our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the promises He has made to
us. Remember Jesus said there would be days like this!
Happy is the person
that endures (remains behind after others have left) trials,
tribulations, and temptations. For when he is proved, he will receive
(manifest) "the crown of life" (life in all its fullness,
complete). This life will be our Heavenly Life!
Peter writes these
lines to the elders of the church, so we see "the crown of
glory" will be available to leaders in the Word of God.
They are supposed to
feed the "flock" the undiluted and perfect Word of God, not
for money or any personal gain, but willingly and out of love.
They are not to be
"overlords" of the other believers, but should lead by
example! If they do this, Peter says, when Christ (the chief
Shepherd) returns, they will receive a "crown of glory"
that will never fade away. It is everlasting, and the color and
brilliance will abide forever.
The five crowns will
be part of our reward we receive after the return of Christ. The Word
of God tells us some things about the crowns, but not everything.
A big part of the
reward will be the surprise of finding out everything about our new
life, and the privileges and responsibilities that go with it. For
now, we can do the best we can for God, and look forward to the Hope,
the return of Jesus Christ.
As John writes in
the Book of Revelation, these elders of the Church are wearing those
crowns!
That is not all they
are wearing. They are wearing "robes of pure white"!
These White robes
are glorious.
These White robes
are beautiful. They are white and shining.
These White robes
are Heavens loveliest garments!
Then the things of
the throne again catch John's eye!
*****Rev 4:5 And
out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices:
and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which
are the seven Spirits of God.
This is the throne
of our Creator!
Many people say that
the Book of Revelation is the most mysterious book in the Bible, but
we must consider that John the Apostle saw things he had never seen
and many he did not know how to describe. You cannot take a man from
the first century and drop him into the twenty first century and
expect him to explain what he sees. It is the same for John in
Heaven!
He was led by the
Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and if we are filled with the
Holy Spirit and understand these things of John and realize that God
does not hide things from us, we can accept the Book of Revelation
just as it is written!
If we picture in our
own mind the words that John says about many things, we can see the
many things that resemble what John is saying.
We must also know
that the throne he is witnessing here is point blank exactly what
John saw!
When God speaks, He
will command your attention!
Psa_103:19 The LORD
hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over
all.
There is not one
thing upon this earth that God is not in command of!
If God wanted to
stop this virus, this plague, He could do so in the blink of an eye,
so we know there is a purpose to what is happening now, and we need
to seek that purpose and be busy about it.
One purpose is to
realize that what the Lord says is the perfect truth and the world
does not ever have perfect truth!
If we stand on the
Word of God with the faith that He demands, we will see what the Lord
wants us to see!
Psa 91:5 Thou shalt
not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth
by day;
Psa 91:6 Nor "for
the pestilence that walketh in darkness"; nor for the
destruction that wasteth at noonday.
Psa 91:7 A thousand
shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it
shall not come nigh thee.
Psa 91:8 Only with
thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Psa 91:9 Because
thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy
habitation;
Psa 91:10 There
shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy
dwelling.
Luk_21:11 And great
earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences;
and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
The Lord is serious
about the things He says and when we do not pay attention, then He
has to show us!
There is an
awesomeness to the Word of God and there is an awesomeness in the
throne of God!
The throne of God is
a throne of "glory" and a throne of "blessedness"
but also a throne of "judgment".
Those that sat
before this throne were there for rewards as every saint of God is
judged and pardoned before they reach this throne in Heaven.
There were
lightnings.
There were
thunderings.
There were voices.
The voice of God
will be an awesome thing to hear when He speaks to us and says, "have
no fear", "you are home now".
We should also
understand while the Lord welcomes His saints, His voice is also
commanding the events to begin in the seven years of tribulation.
The Lord God of this
world is always doing things according to His own will!
The will of God is
wise, is pure and is just, and is guided by His great love for all
those who have trusted Him with their souls!
This throne is a
throne of Holiness!
Weak people see this
place as terrible, but to the saints of God, this is a place of joy.
A place of pleasure. A place to reverence our Divine Majesty.
The seven lamps of
fire denoted the fulness and the perfection of the Holy Spirit. The
light from those lamps show He is sufficient in His work with the
Church, who He has now returned home with those saints of God.
2Th_2:7 For the
mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will
let, until he be taken out of the way.
John was standing
some distance from the throne and after observing the throne, John
took a look at the throne room.
*****Rev 4:6 And
before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in
the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts
full of eyes before and behind.
Rev 4:7 And the
first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and
the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a
flying eagle.
Rev 4:8 And the
four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full
of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy,
holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Rev 4:9 And when
those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the
throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
Many things could be
said about this Sea of Glass, which in reality reads "a Glass
Sea like crystal".
This could be a Sea
that is clear and calm and prepared as the Lord Jesus walked on the
Sea of Galilee.
We know that the
Seas upon this earth are never calm as they are driven by winds and
storms.
The Scriptures tell
us that wicked are like the troubled sea.
Isa_57:20 But the
wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters
cast up mire and dirt.
There is no
wickedness in Heaven nor around the throne of God!
The sea before God
was clear, deep, and pure!
Now we know the
Seven lamps of fire and this Sea of glass and we know that the Holy
Ghost, whose powers, and operations, are many times mentioned as fire
and water.
Mat_3:11 I indeed
baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me
is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: "he
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire":
1Co_6:11 And such
were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye
are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, "and by the Spirit
of our God".
We know that it is
those who are washed and mingled with fire that have gotten victory
over the beast!
Rev 15:2 And I saw
as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: "and them that had
gotten the victory over the beast", and over his image, and over
his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass,
having the harps of God.
Then in the end that
pure, crystal clean river of life with flow out of the New Heaven
into the New Earth.
Rev 22:1 And he
shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Then there were four
beasts.
These beasts are the
closest things to God in Heaven in distance.
They are Angelic
beings who are posted in the middle of each side of God's throne.
They are the
guardians of God's throne!
They are the
guardians of God's Holy Presence!
Rev 5:6 And I
beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts,
and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain,
having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God
sent forth into all the earth.
They are always
found near the throne.
They have six wings
(3 pair) and are full of eyes.
Their function has
to do with the Holiness or the Wrath of God!
Rev 6:1 And I saw
when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the
noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
Rev 15:7 And one of
the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of
the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
They never cease to
declare the holiness of Jehovah God!
They never leave
God's presence!
The Holy Spirit
decided we did not need any more information about these four beings
than what we have here in this Scripture. They belong to God for His
specific purpose.
We will all have a
purpose in Heaven, just as we have a purpose here upon this earth,
though it will be far different then.
They are living
creations of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Act_17:24 God that
made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of
heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Heb_1:2 Hath in
these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed
heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Joh 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God.
Joh 1:2 The same
was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things
were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was
made.
Joh 1:4 In him was
life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the
light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
What do we know as
humans?
1)The lion denotes
majesty and power among the animal world.
Pro 30:30 A lion
which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
2) The calf whether
be calf or ox denote humility and patience.
1Co 9:9 For it is
written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the
ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
1Co 9:10 Or saith
he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is
written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that
thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
3) The third beast
with the face of a man is the highest of all God's creation, denoting
wisdom, reason, and intelligence.
1Co 2:11 For what
man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in
him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:12 Now we
have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is
of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of
God.
1Co 2:13 Which
things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,
but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with
spiritual.
4) The fourth beast
with the face of an eagle. The eagle is the wisest of all birds. He
flies the highest. His eyes the keenest. He is swift to take action
when it is time to take action. He does so then without hesitation.
Job 39:27 Doth the
eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?
Job 39:28 She
dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the
strong place.
Job 39:29 From
thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.
Job 39:30 Her young
ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.
Brother Oliver Green
writes that it is these characteristics combined, that express the
character of God's Throne in relation to earth.
We can ask these
things of the Lord when we meet Him for, He made them!
For what is their
main purpose?
They give glory and
honor to Him who sits upon the throne in the Throne Room of God!
*****Rev 4:10 The
four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne,
and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns
before the throne, saying,
Rev 4:11 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.
As those beast give
glory to the Lord, those elders, who represent the redeemed children
of God, who have received the rewards for the works they did after
salvation and realize they are still unworthy of any rewards, fall
down on their faces having casts those crowns at the feet of Jesus.
Yes, we can still
come under conviction even in Heaven!
If we do not
understand today that no matter what has happened in our lives, the
fact that we are saved from the wrath of the Father by the actions of
His Son Jesus then, we need to verify our salvation!
Our salvation is all
about the actions and the love of our Lord and Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ!
There certainly is
no other way to reach the gates of Heaven and enter into the City of
God!
The world is foolish
to think anything different!
We must always be
ready to acknowledge our obligation to the work of the Gospel no
matter our circumstances!
If we are given
anything at the "Judgment Seat of Christ" we are still
unworthy to receive it!
So the object
remains not to earn rewards for our own self, but to earn rewards to
cast at the feet of Jesus.
It will be bad
enough not to earn a reward after becoming a Christian, but it will
be far worse not to have even something small to give back to the
Lord for all He has done for me!
It is the Lord Jesus
Christ who created all things and it is the Lord Jesus Christ who has
done all these things for His own pleasure.
God did not have to
save anyone!
He is God, He does
not need us!
He saved us just
because He wanted to!
He saved us because
He loves us!
Amen
Let’s Pray!
