Revelation 4 and 5

Johns 2nd vision

Revelation 4:1–2 (ESV)

After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.

transition from church age to after rapture

ONE seated on throne

Notice there is only “one” seated on throne. There is only one God, one creator

Revelation 4:3–11 (ESV)

And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

This passage is a description of Gods throne room

A rainbow that had an appearance of an emerald

24 thrones around the throne, seated with 24 elders

Flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder around the throne

7 torches of fire which are the 7 spirits of God

sea of glass

Surrounded by 4 angels, same description as in Ezekiel 1

Revelation 5:1–4 “Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.”

Each seal broken represents a judgment being executed on earth, the end of sin can only come from the opening of the scroll. Judgement is coming , and as a christian this is something that we can look forward to.

John begins to weep loudly due to the fact that sin will continue to rule the world until the scroll is opened

No one in

HEAVEN

EARTH

UNDER THE EARTH

John is crying over his sin and bondage as well as yours and mine. John is stuck, the same way that you and I are. We have the flesh and the holy spirit waging a war within us.

Romans 7:13–25 ESV

Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

This is the eternal discontentment that we all struggle with. Someone who teaches and preaches you may think doesn’t deal with this internal war. I can assure you that they do. If you do not have an internal struggle with sin you need to take a hard look into your heart and what you believe.

1 Peter 1:13–20 ESV

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

Time of exile? Our time here on earth needs to be viewed as just that, time. What is is that we are waiting for? Jesus to open this scroll. To put an end to injustice, suffering, pain, fear, insecurity, depression, anger. The opening of this scroll is the only way to being about peace.

What won’t bring about this peace?

Politics

Money

A spouse

People

A job

What are you looking to ? What are you weeping over?