CHAPTER 4: A HEAVENLY VISION OF GOD THE FATHER:
“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).
v.1 - John saw a door open in Heaven, and an angel said, “Come up here.”
- Some have interpreted this to represent the rapture of the church.
QUOTE BY JACK HAYFORD:
“The Spirit-Filled Life Bible does not embrace any conclusive point of view concerning these popularly discussed subjects. Rather, it seeks to help fellow Christians clearly understand one another’s viewpoints in order to assist dialogue and to dismiss bigotry. It is probably not reasonable for one Christian to be divided from another on the interpretation of things yet future, things of which neither can know the exact outcome until their actual occurrence.”
THREE MAIN VIEWS OF THE MILLENNIUM:
1) Premillennial View: All believers are “raptured” before the Great Tribulation. The Rapture and the Second Coming are separate events. The Tribulation and Millennium are literal 7-year and 1,000 year periods.” They see Israel and the Church as being separate programs or dispensations.
2) Postmillennial View: The Tribulation is age-long, not 7 years. The Millennium is a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ, realized through the church’s ministry of the kingdom of God. They see Israel and the Church as one people of God.
3) Amillennial View: The Book of Revelation is symbolic of God’s kingdom’s triumphing through the church. The Great Tribulation and the Millennium are not 7 year and 1,000 year periods, but are symbolic terms for the age-long struggle of evil against Christ’s rule. They see Israel and the Church as one people of God.
• I personally don’t believe that Revelation 4:1 represents the rapture of the church.
Here, John has a Vision of God the Father, declaring God’s POWER as our Creator:
REVELATION COMPARED WITH EZEKIEL:
“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.” (Rev. 4:2-3).
“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).
v.3 - this is a SYMBOLIC picture – “He who sat there was like…”
Jasper (diamond) - symbol of purity or holiness
Sardius (red stone) - symbol of redemption (blood of Jesus)
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).
Emerald (green) - “to show the reviving and refreshing nature of the new covenant.” (Matthew Henry).
“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…” (Rev. 4:4-6a).
v.4 - around God’s throne = 24 elders seated and wearing white robes and gold crowns
- representative of all of God’s people from all generations:
“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) - see Ez. 19:6 – kingdom of priests
- 12 disciples of Jesus (New Covenant) - see 1 Pet. 2:9 – royal priesthood
QUOTE: “The historic Christian teaching holds that national Israel was a type or a forerunner of the church, and that the church replaced Israel on the day of Pentecost… God has but one plan of salvation. There is also only one body of God. This body is made up of every born again individual from both the Old and New Testaments. God’s people were known in the Old Testament as “Israel.” The same people, in the New Testament, are known as “the church.” As a matter of Scriptural fact, these terms are used interchangeably: the church is referred to as “Israel” (Gal. 6:16), while the Old Testament remnant is referred to as “the church” (Acts 7:38).” (Amillennialism Today).
• Why is this truth significant? Because it destroys the dispensational idea that God has a separate plan for the nation of Israel in these last days. The church is the Israel – the people of God – in the 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)
- crowns = ruling and reigning with Christ (kings and priests)
- what are the crowns promised to believers?
o crown of life (Rev. 2:10)
o crown of glory (1 Pet. 5:2-4)
o crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8)
o crown of rejoicing (1 Thess. 2:19-20)
v.5 - lightnings, thunderings, voices came from the throne – symbolize God’s power
“Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.” (Exodus 19:6).
- seven Spirits of God – the perfect, Holy Spirit
“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” (Isaiah 11:1-2).
v.6 - the crystal sea:
“As in the temple there was a great vessel of brass filled with water, in which the priests were to wash when they went to minister before the Lord (and this was called a sea), so in the gospel church the sea or laver for purification is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, who cleanses from all sin, even from sanctuary-sins. In this all those must be washed that are admitted into the gracious presence of God on earth or his glorious presence in heaven.” (Matthew Henry).
REVELATION COMPARED WITH EZEKIEL:
“And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 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.” (Rev. 4:6b-7).
“Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures… 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…and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them.” (Ezekiel 1:5,10,18).
INTERPRETING THE SYMBOLS:
- Full of Eyes - Knowledge and Vision
- Lion - Strength
- Calf/Ox - Service
- Man - Intelligence
- Flying Eagle - Speed … in the Service of the Creator
WHO ARE THESE FOUR LIVING CREATURES? Cherubim.
“This is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel by the River Chebar, and I knew they were cherubim.” (Ezekiel 10:20).
• Cherubim: an angelic being: as guardians of Eden (Gen. 3:24); as flanking God’s throne (Ezek. 1,10); as an image hovering over the Ark of the Covenant (1 Kings 8:6-7). (from the KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon)
“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!” (Rev. 4:8).
The Lord is exalted first for:
• His holiness (holy, holy, holy)
• His power (Almighty)
• His eternality (who was and is and is to come).
REVELATION COMPARED WITH ISAIAH:
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” (Is. 6:1-3).
“Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 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: "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.” (Rev. 4:9-11).
APPLICATION: How does this chapter in Revelation apply to us today?
• REMEMBER: One of the themes of the book of Revelation is WORSHIP.
• Our response is to give glory to God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth!
Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” (Matt. 22:39-40).
• Our highest calling as Christians is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.
CHAPTER 5: A HEAVENLY VISION OF JESUS THE SON:
“And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” (Rev. 5:1-5).
• Here, John has a Vision of God the Son, declaring God’s LOVE as our Saviour:
v.1 - right hand = symbol of power and authority
- seven seals – indicate this is a testament – the New Testament
v.5 - the only worthy one was found: Jesus!
• “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 2:5).
- Jesus is The Lion of the Tribe of Judah - speaks of His humanity
• Genesis 49:9: “Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?”
- Jesus is The Root of David - speaks of His divinity (King)
• Isaiah 11:1: “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.”
“And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.” (Rev. 5:6-7).
• John saw Jesus as a Lamb as though it had been slain
• Jesus as the Lion and the Lamb is both strong and meek
• “(Jesus) is a Lion to conquer Satan, a sacrificial Lamb to satisfy the justice of God.” (Matthew Henry).
• seven horns (horn in the Bible is a symbol of power) = perfect power
• seven eyes = perfect vision and knowledge
“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” (Rev. 5:8-10).
Here we see a major theme in the book of Revelation – WORSHIP.
“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!" And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!" Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.” (Rev. 5:11-14).
What do they worship Jesus for?
“You were slain” - His death on the Cross
“You redeemed us to God” - that purchased our SALVATION.
“And have made us kings and priests” - we rule and reign with Him.
QUOTE: “We worship and glorify one and the same God for our creation and for our redemption. We see how the church that began the heavenly anthem, finding heaven and earth join in the concert, closes all with their Amen, and end as they began, with a low prostration before the eternal and everlasting God.” (Matthew Henry).
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
