part 22: Heaven’s Throne
Puzzled About Revelation, april 21 2022
“We have a sovereign God who is in full control, who is seated on His throne, who has authority over all the nations and rulers of the earth, and nothing that is happening on the earth is outside of God’s plan or His control. ”
Main text: Rev. 4
recap
Tonight we return to our Revelation Bible study after a 3-part series on the mark/image of the beast
In Revelation 1, John gives an introduction and then explains the visions which he received. In particular, He gives us a vision of the resurrected and glorified Jesus. He was told to write the things which he had seen, the things which are, and the things which must soon take place, and to send seven letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor. These letters make up most of chapters 2 and 3, which we looked at previously.
Chapter 4 marks a transition in the book of Revelation. John is about to be shown visions of the future. I believe that the visions that John was shown relate specifically to the final generation, and the period the Bible defines as Daniel’s 70th week, the time leading up to the glorious return of Jesus. This is a disturbing period of great trouble and suffering, which is why it is called the Great Tribulation, or the time of Jacob’s trouble. However, these are the things that MUST take place, and are part of the plan of God.
Revelation 4
“After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
First, John sees an open door in heaven. He has access to the throne of God. Adam and Eve had lost the ability to approach God because of sin. Even when the tabernacle was built, access to the Holy of Holies was extremely limited. But when Jesus died, the temple veil was torn, signifying that we can boldly approach the throne of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Before being given visions of the things which must first take place prior to the Lord’s return, John was taken into Heaven and given visions of God’s Throne, the One seated on the throne, and those around the throne. What John saw could be described as:
1. Precious
John sees a throne, and someone on the throne, with the appearance of green gemstones in spectacular beauty. The one on the throne is the father.
2. Powerful
The flashes of lightning and thunder represent the very presence of God, and bring to mind the presence of God at Mount Sinai, when the people trembled at the foot of the mountain, and Isaiah’s vision, when he saw the Lord high and lifted up. (Note that the song of the four living creatures is also the song of Isaiah.) Our God is a consuming fire.
3. Peaceful
4. Praiseworthy
The four living creatures: what John is seeing is something that was shown to two other OT prophets, Ezekiel chapter 1, which describes the chariot throne of God, and Isaiah chapter 6, in which the seraphim called out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” This is the first in a series of five praise songs that are being sung before the throne of God day and night. We should be praising God as well!
The second song, “You are worthy…” is sung by the 24 elders, who cast their crowns before the throne.
5. Elevated (sovereign)
6. Eternal (unchanging)
7. Unspeakable
This vision of the throne of God is meant to remind us of the greatness of our God, and to encourage us that we have a sovereign God who is in full control, who is seated on His throne, who has authority over all the nations and rulers of the earth, and that nothing that is happening on the earth is outside of God’s plan or His control.