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December 13
Revelation 4:1-11
The Throne Room of Heaven 4 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.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 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. 4 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. 5 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.
6 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. 8 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!”
9 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.”
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Some believe that when John hears the voice behind him saying come up here it is symbolic of the rapture of the church being caught up into heaven just before the seven years of tribulation. It is true that from this point forward there is no mention of the church on earth but several events come to pass when believers are ushered into the presence of God through martyrdom. Eschatology or the study of end time prophetic events is a very deep subject and there are many interpretations of Scripture concerning these events. Personally, I believe in a pre-tribulation catching away of the church based on:
1Thessalonians 4:14-18 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
The most important thing is to walk with God every day living in prayer to be ready because you just don’t know when the Lord is going to come or when our human heart stops beating and we breath our last breath of air and move from this life into the glory of God in Heaven.
Vision of the throne of God
John saw the throne of God and what appears to be the glory of his presence emanating from him as a rainbow, a glorious light reflecting from the throne like precious gemstones. There were four creatures around the throne calling out holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come are very interesting to me and seem to reveal aspects of God’s divine nature. This is not the first time in the Scriptures that the Lord reveals himself through his creatures. The vision that the prophet Ezekiel had was very similar to what we see here. Ezekiel 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
Here’s what I believe that each of the faces is symbolic of:
Revelation 4:1-11
The Throne Room of Heaven 4 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.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 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. 4 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. 5 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.
6 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. 8 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!”
9 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.”
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Some believe that when John hears the voice behind him saying come up here it is symbolic of the rapture of the church being caught up into heaven just before the seven years of tribulation. It is true that from this point forward there is no mention of the church on earth but several events come to pass when believers are ushered into the presence of God through martyrdom. Eschatology or the study of end time prophetic events is a very deep subject and there are many interpretations of Scripture concerning these events. Personally, I believe in a pre-tribulation catching away of the church based on:
1Thessalonians 4:14-18 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
The most important thing is to walk with God every day living in prayer to be ready because you just don’t know when the Lord is going to come or when our human heart stops beating and we breath our last breath of air and move from this life into the glory of God in Heaven.
Vision of the throne of God
John saw the throne of God and what appears to be the glory of his presence emanating from him as a rainbow, a glorious light reflecting from the throne like precious gemstones. There were four creatures around the throne calling out holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come are very interesting to me and seem to reveal aspects of God’s divine nature. This is not the first time in the Scriptures that the Lord reveals himself through his creatures. The vision that the prophet Ezekiel had was very similar to what we see here. Ezekiel 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
Here’s what I believe that each of the faces is symbolic of:
The 24 elders worshiping God
John saw that whenever the living creatures gave glory and honor to God on the throne the 24 elders would cast or throw their crowns to the feet of him who sat on the throne and begin to worship proclaiming that he alone is worthy of glory and honor because all things were created by him and for him. This is a response to being in the immediate presence of the most high, holy God, the Creator who by his will created all things! When you’re going through a difficult time it can be a challenge to pull our emotions out of the valley but just worship God for who he is because this is the kind of worshiper that he’s looking for, someone that will worship him in spirit and in truth and love him for who he is not just what he can do for us.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) The apostle John saw Heaven and recorded everything he saw and heard.
2) The first thing that John saw was God on the throne and his glory.
3) Four holy creatures surrounded the throne symbolic of the fullness of Jesus Christ manifested in the four Gospels. These creatures worshiped God constantly.
4) The 24 elders cast their crowns before God giving him all the glory as our Creator.
5) Let’s enter into the same spirit of praise and worship until we are with the Lord eternally.
John saw that whenever the living creatures gave glory and honor to God on the throne the 24 elders would cast or throw their crowns to the feet of him who sat on the throne and begin to worship proclaiming that he alone is worthy of glory and honor because all things were created by him and for him. This is a response to being in the immediate presence of the most high, holy God, the Creator who by his will created all things! When you’re going through a difficult time it can be a challenge to pull our emotions out of the valley but just worship God for who he is because this is the kind of worshiper that he’s looking for, someone that will worship him in spirit and in truth and love him for who he is not just what he can do for us.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) The apostle John saw Heaven and recorded everything he saw and heard.
2) The first thing that John saw was God on the throne and his glory.
3) Four holy creatures surrounded the throne symbolic of the fullness of Jesus Christ manifested in the four Gospels. These creatures worshiped God constantly.
4) The 24 elders cast their crowns before God giving him all the glory as our Creator.
5) Let’s enter into the same spirit of praise and worship until we are with the Lord eternally.
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We serve all Christians in the Body of Christ: Let us know how we can serve you!
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