Revelation 4:1-11

Revelation chapter 4, I’m going to read the entire chapter for our study this morning, and if we have time, we’ll look at chapter 5. If not, we will stop. After this, I looked, and behold, a door was open in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with you. me, which said, come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit. Behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne, and he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone. There was a rainbow round about the throne. in sight like under an emerald, and round about the throne were four and twenty seats, literally thrones. And upon the seats, I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thundrings and voices, and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne, there was a sea of glass, like under crystal. And in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four beasts, full of eyes before and behind. 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. And the four beast had each of them six wings about him. They were full of eyes within. And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Almighty, which was and is and is to come. And when those beasts gave glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power. For thou hast created all things for thy pleasure. They are and were created. May God bless to us His sacred and holy word this morning. Chapter 4 and 5. of the book of Revelation or what we might call the throne room, throne room chapters. Because they take us to heaven. Let us give us a vision of what is taking place there. Chapter 4, we have the worship of God as the Creator. And we have a vision of God on his throne in the first three verses here. Now, the setting of God, of the situation is this. The church is on the verge of massive persecution. Indeed, John has already suffered some during the tribulation period of time because he said he has a fellow companion and a fellow sufferer in this tribulation. He told us in chapter one he’s been banished to the Isle of Patmos. the preaching of the gospel. The initial phase has begun, and it’s going to get worse. From John’s point of view on Patmos, a dark picture lay before him of what the church is going to have to endure. It’s a frightening prospect for the people of God. So in order to encourage the people of God, as they undergo this severe testing, God gives John a vision from God’s point of view. The church needed to be assured that God was in charge of the situation. The righteous indeed will be vindicated and the wicked will indeed be punished. The very center of this vision is the almighty sovereign God sitting upon the Almighty, a throne, an eternal throne. Now John here in a vision sees an open door. That door opens into heaven. And Christ, whose voice is like a trumpet, as chapter 1 and verse 10 has told us, seems to call him to come up heaven. And so he is transported into heaven here in this vision. Now, I don’t believe that there’s any indication that he physically left Patmos here, but in vision he is caught up into the third heaven, so to speak. You know, Paul says whether in the body or out of the body, I don’t know, I was caught up into the third heaven. We’re here, it would seem that he’s still on Patmos, but he is in vision caught up into heaven. Now, classic dispensationalism will teach that this is the secret. rapture of the church, because they use the word trumpet here, referring to Christ return and the trumpet sound and so forth. But if you look at chapter one, it’s Christ’s voice that is as a trumpet, and he is the one who’s calling up John here. So the people of God here, according to the classic dispensationalism, get to escape the tribulation period. They’re not involved in it whatsoever, according to classic dispensationalism. Much is made of the fact that the word church is not found again throughout the book of Revelation until we get to chapter 22 and verse 6. So they say the church isn’t on earth, it’s in heaven. However, the word church is not mentioned as being in heaven either. You never see that either in these chapters. And does that mean the church is not. on earth or in heaven during this period of time, so we have to question the dispensationalist view here. But I think if you see the voice as the one of the son of God calling him up in vision to heaven here in chapter four of the book of Revelation, I think that’s the right approach. The one on the throne has the appearance of a jasper and a sardine stone. Now a jasper stone is either red or purple. And the sardine or the sardias stone, as some call it, is blood red or of a carnation you. These colors denote the power, the powerful splendor, if you would, which beamed from him who sat on the throne. There are royal colors of the kings who would sit upon a throne. So we have this. picture here of the king with his royal robes on. And so we have a picture of the majestic king, the Lord God, as he sits on this throne in heaven. Around the throne is a beautiful rainbow in the shades of emerald green. What do you think about this? When you think about a rainbow, what do you think about? What does that suggest to you? Keith? Covenant. And with no end, what was that covenant? what was the rainbow to be a sign of? The faithfulness of God, he would know, he would not flood the earth again, right? And so in the midst of judgment, it was an indication that God was going to show mercy. So whenever it rained again on earth, they would see the rainbow. And that would be a sign of God’s protection and no more flooding. So when we see a rainbow here in heaven, in connection with a God who is about to pour out all this judgment, it may remind us also that he is a God of mercy as well as judgment. A reminder of God’s covenant with Noah and the symbol of mercy, because our God is a merciful God. So we have a vision of God on his throne. And then in verses 4 and 5 of chapter 4, we have the 24 elders that are mentioned. Now there have been various opinions as to the identity of these 24 elders. I will say this, nowhere in Scripture is elder ever used with reference to anyone except for a man, a human being. And so we have, I think, a good indication then, that some human beings here, men in particular, are being considered. Elders do appear both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, each of the tribes. There were elders of the different tribes, and there were elders in the churches of the New Testament. These individuals stand for those who rule the church. and who represent the church. And therefore, I think it seems best to me at least, to see these 24 elders as representatives of the whole church, both of the New and the Old Testament, so that we have elders of the 12 tribes, we have elders of the church in the New Testament, so that in a sense we have both represented huge. and you’ll notice if you look with me to revelation chapter 21 I think there’s some indication in this direction for us not trying to be dogmatic but I’m just trying to give you what I think seems to be the clearest understanding look at chapter 21 here and verses 10 to 14 now in this section he’s describing the lambs bride, the church of Christ. And he says, he carried me away in spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me that great city, the Holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. You notice in verse 9 he talks about, I’m going to show you the bride, the lamb’s wife, and then he shows them to Jerusalem, the city. Having the glory of God, he says, and her light was like the light unto, like unto a stone, most precious, even like a jasper, clear as crystal. And had a wall great and high, and had 12 gates. And at the 12 gates, 12 angels, and the names written thereon, which are the names of the 12 tribes of the children of Israel. And on the east three gates, and on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had 12 foundations, and in them the names of the 12 apostles of the land. And so we have here the idea of the 12 tribes, the 12 apostles. Remember, the apostles who are also elders, they, you know, Peter, he’s a fellow. elder, he says, so they’re elders, but, so they could be represented as well as representatives from Israel, the nation. And so it seems like they’re connected together. And then the 12 and 12, and we end up with 24. And so I suggest that that’s probably what we have here. That the 24 represents the whole church, both of the Old and New Testament. Now, the Lord twice. cheered his disciples, assuring them that they would reign with him. And so we see that these people who are elders sit, they have seats, according to verse four, but the word there actually is thrones. They get to rule with Christ. So they represent the people of God here. In a sense, all the people God, getting the rule and reign with Christ. Now, we read here about lightnings and thunders and voices, and when we think about this, we think about Sinai, when God’s presence was there, how that there was this, like, stormy atmosphere about the mount, and that no one could even touch it, not even an animal, could touch the mount. And, you know, God had to tell who could come up. and meet with him there. And that’s when God established his covenant with Israel. In Exodus 19, we have this idea of lightnings and thunders and voices and so forth. The Old Testament, of course, will give way to the New Testament. And we now come to Mount Zion, Hebrews 12 tells us, and to a company of innumerable angels to the church, of the firstborn and so forth. But we have the connection here. The God is a God of power, and he is one of authority, and certainly he’s one that deserves respect. And we see that, I think, coming through here. The seven lamps of fire are identified as the seven spirits of God, or perhaps we could say the seven spirits of God. sevenfold spirit of God from Isaiah chapter 11. I think the idea of the different qualities of the spirit of God. Now, there is a sea here. Some have suggested that the sea represents the labor. And in the Old Testament, remember, you had the laver before the tabernacle. And we do have a tabernacle or a temple in heaven, and perhaps a laver. label a laver here. I don’t know. We’ll touch on that in just a moment. I think the sea of glass here may represent the holiness or necessary cleanliness of any that would draw near to the Lord God. God’s people have been washed in the blood of Christ and therefore are able to come. The Sea of Crystal separated the transcendent God, however, from the people. So there is a bit of a separation that no one could just draw near to the Lord God easily. It’ll be interesting. When we get to chapter 21, it’s interesting when the new heavens and the earth are created, there’s no more sea. Some have suggested that this sea than it is, is no longer exist and then we can, we have a closer even relationship with the Lord at that point. I will have to look at that more when we get there. I can’t speak definitively about that, but I’ll make those suggestions to you. Then we have, after the 24 elders, we have the four living creatures in verses 6 through 8 here. We read here before the throne, there was a sea of glass like under crystal, and in the midst of the throne, round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion. The second beast, like a calf. The third beast had a face of a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beast 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, which is which is to come. Let me say that it’s better to translate the word beast here as living creature. This word in the Greek is Zun, Z-O-O-O-N. It’s a different word than the word beast that’s found in Revelation chapter 13, which represents the Roman Empire, we said, in Nero. That is Therion. which means a wild beast, a dangerous beast. So there are two different words. That’s why I prefer, may we say, living creature here, rather than beast. I think perhaps they used the word beast because of the different representation of what was on their faces and so forth. They had animal-type faces. And so we see the beast that are mentioned. Now, there seems to be some confusion about who these four creatures are. Many of the commentators say that they are cherubim. However, if you read Ezekiel carefully, you’ll notice that the cherubim each have four faces and four wings. You look Ezekiel 10 verses 20 and 21. These living creatures in Revelation chapter four have only one face, each different from the other, and they have six wings. The six wings of an angelic being point us to the seraphim rather than the cherubim. And if you remember in Isaiah chapter six, they were six-winged beings which cried out constantly, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty Almighty in Ezekiel or Isaiah 6, 1 to 3, which is the same thing we see here. These beasts are doing. And so I suggest you that we have seraphim here rather than cherubim. The cherubim each have four faces. So on each, like, four sides of their head, each had a different creature, the same creatures, but each one. whereas the seraphim seemed to have one face and each one is different from the other and they have these four that are mentioned, these four creatures. The lion, the man, the ox, the eagle, and so forth. Hence the confusion here. But if you look carefully, I think at both of these passages, that is what we see. I suggest to you the lion would represent a service, a with great power, perhaps, the king of the beast. A man would suggest intelligence and wisdom. A cow or ox, patient obedience, and an eagle, a speed of response. And if we see perhaps this type of symbolism, then we see how these creatures serve the Lord God. They’re full of eyes because they’re ever watchful and diligent about their service to the Lord and their duty is to guard, it seems, the throne of God. And they constantly praise the thrice holy God, day and night, ceaselessly, giving adoration to the Lord. The four heavenly creatures. Are any questions? Yes. The calf I took as the ox or calf as patient obedience. I’m then we have the worship of God as Creator in verses 9 through 11. Let’s look at that. And when those beasts gave glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and 20 elders fell down before him that sat on the throne and worship him that lived him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their thrones before, uh, excuse me, cast their crowns before the throne, saying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things, for thy pleasure they are and were created. So this vision of God will conclude with a song of praise for the one who sits on the throne. By the four living creatures, certainly representing all the creatures adoration of the God and joined by the 24 elders represented of the redeemed among fallen humanity. So we have angelic beings with creatures associated with them and the 24 elders. So there’s a sense in which we might say all living creatures, all beings made by God give him praise and honor him. The praise here is glory. They ascribe glory or fame or splendor to God. Honor, they ascribe to him worth or value that he is worthy of the worship that he receives. And as verse 11, indicates also power. Now some translations have Eucharistia thanks, and that’s similar to what you find in verse 9, the beast, giving glory and honor and thanks. The 24 elders here seem to offer power. King James has the word Dumas. We get the word dynamite. from it, power to the Lord here. I’m a King James man, so I prefer the word power. I’ll just go with that. But obviously honors given to him and praise as well as recognizing his power. But I use the word power here, I think, because he alone is worthy of praise as the powerful creator of all the things of this world. He is the sovereign God, and he created everything for his own pleasure. Think about that. He did it to please himself. He did it for his own glory. And so everything that’s created, and we know if you study the book of Colossians that we looked at, it is created ultimately to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ. And so we see this as his purpose. So the worship of God as Creator. We have the vision of God on his throne. We have the 24 elders representing, it seems, the whole church, both of the Old and New Testament. We have the four living creatures, which seem to be seraphim here. And we have the worship of God as creator, which certainly he is worthy of receiving honoring glory. four. And so we could call this the Song of creation here that is mentioned. Now, let me draw some practical implications here, because I don’t think I’m going to get through Chapter 5 today, but let me draw a few practical applications from Chapter 4, and if we have any discussion, we’ll take it up. We see here that God is a majestic majestic king upon his throne, deserving of glory, and honor and exaltation for it being the Almighty one and thanks and so forth from all his creatures, angels and men, in particular who can articulate such praise. A God to be reverenced. A God to be feared. We should have high thoughts of God. Isn’t that what is laid out for us here immediately? God is the creator of all things. And everything was made ultimately for his pleasure because God has a purpose and a design in whatever he does. He is worthy of worship by all because he is the creator. And I suggest to you, if you go through the New Testament and you see how Christ often refers to the very various creative aspects about our world, where he talks about trees, or where he talks about the grass and the flowers that grow on it and so forth. It seems like everything that’s created, he makes some kind of an application, or at least he draws application from things that are created and makes spiritual reference. So that there’s more to it than just, well, he made the grass and the flower. of the grass. Men are like grass and like the flower of the grass, they fade. But the word of God abides forever. There’s things like that that we find. Or how trees bring forth fruit, and we can tell what kind of tree it is by the fruit and so forth. So that in the creation of these things, not only is he providing food for us and things of this nature, but there seems to be more to it even than that. There’s a deeper design. in a lot of things that God creates. So I just suggest that to you that we should think beyond just the basic things of creation. He has a deeper design that we should ponder. So he’s worthy of worship by all because he is the creator. Now notice that anyone who teaches evolution takes away an incentive to worship the Lord God. One of the first things that’s mentioned about the Lord God. Here we’re getting, we’re taking up to heaven, and what is the first focus? He is the creator. Now, we’re going to see Chapter 5, he’s also the Redeemer. Another reason to praise God, and he’ll get praise for that. We’ll talk about that next week. Lord willing. But here he is the creator. A third thought is this. Consider carefully the holiness of God, which is proclaimed continuously day and night by the seraphim who stand before him in verse 8 holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty. If you go through scripture, you know how’s this attribute seems to be constantly in the forefront. If you talked about one thing that seemed to really stand out about God is His holiness. It’s always emphasized and set before the minds of his creatures. We should never forget this truth. That’s why it’s so prominent. What hatred of sin a holy God must have. And therefore, it’s an incentive for us to mortify sins in our lives that we might be pleasing to the Holy God of heaven and earth. What need there is to be made perfectly holy ourselves if we would dwell eternally with the Lord God in heaven in order to stand in his presence, we have have to be the spirits of just men made perfect. As Hebrews 12, 23 says. Any other thoughts, any other practical thoughts or suggestions or questions about this chapter before we close.