Revelation 4:1-11

Revelation 4:1–11 NLT

1 Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” 2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. 3 The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. 4 Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. 6 In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. 7 The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. 8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” 9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, 11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Reminder that Revelation is a

Letter, Wisdom Literature, Prophecy, Apocalyptic

The question before us is Who do we Worship? Why?

We cannot have a WHATEVER attitude towards who or why we worship!

“Whatever” on program at concert in college

What is an “Open Door” in heaven

Not an “escapist” idea

Heaven as another dimension that we cannot see, unless God makes it an ability

We think spatially. Heaven is not necessarily a destination, but the place where God rules. It’s not up there, or over there. It’s right here, but we cannot see it...

“What must take place after this” (V. 1)

Many people view that chapter 6 onward is what must take place after this

That makes ch. 4-5 a sort of parenthesis that is a great image, but not really important to the revelation that is revealed.

I propose that idea is incorrect. Chapters 4-5 are extremely important to the WHOLE letter. They are NOT parenthetical, but are PRIMARY and FOUNDATIONAL to understand what follows beginning with chapter 6

WORSHIP!

Revelation is a letter about WORSHIP...

It takes place On the Lord’s Day (the Day the Church gathers for worship)

It is to be read during the worship gatherings of these 7 churches...

There are scenes of worship scattered throughout the entirety of the letter (often the scenes of testing are interrupted by scenes of worship…)

What must take place “after this” is worship. It is what is taking place NOW and what the ultimate desire of God is for ALL CREATION. When Heaven and Earth meet as one (21-22) the scene will be perfected because ALL CREATION will be able to WORSHIP without being hindered.

Worship is what takes place NOW in heaven, but the desire is for what occurs in heaven to occur on earth.

This is what Jesus asks us to pray. “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”

This scene is foundational because it describes, not only, a present reality, but also the desired reality, or planned reality, to come.

Imagery like Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1 and Exodus 19

Theophony

The grasping at vocabulary to describe some aspects of God

Not exactly literal, but the best way this reality can be explained given the limitations of our human vocabulary and understanding.

The precious stones and emerald as a rainbow

Rainbow is not only a designation of God’s radiance. It is a reminder of God’s covenant and promise with ALL OF CREATION!

Genesis 9:8–16 NLT

8 Then God told Noah and his sons, 9 “I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants, 10 and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals—every living creature on earth. 11 Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.” 12 Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. 13 I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. 14 When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, 15 and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. 16 When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.”

Not just a promise not to destroy with a flood, but a promise NOT to destroy all earth.

Whatever flows after this scene, it must be remembered that it flows from the one who has made this covenant with HIS creation!

Sea of Glass, clear as crystal

The reminder of Chaos that seems to always disrupt God’s plans and purposes. The idea that there is a force that seeks to destroy and distort. Call it Satan, the Dark Side, Evil, Demonic, other powers of this world.

They are represented with the image of water. Why? Because water always has had a mystery and chaotic element to it.

For the time being, chaos is shut up, silent, and calm in God’s presence. Ultimately, chaos will be done away with!

Revelation 21:1 NLT

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.

God has a desire that ALL CREATION will worship him when heaven and earth meet. For God, it is not good enough that chaos is controlled in his presence.

God desires chaos to ultimately be dealt with.

What follows, beginning in chapter 6 comes from the hand of the One with a plan to lead CREATION to its desired end; worship without chaos present.

In order to do that, there must be a sifting of the wheat from the chaff, the faithful from the unfaithful, the holy from the evil.

What follows, therefore, is not punishment, but a test of who the truly faithful will be.

Crazy creatures before the throne

Heads like… lion, human, ox, eagle

Crazy wings and eyes… NOT THE CUTE IMAGE WE HAVE OF ANGELS!

They worship constantly declaring that God alone is holy

They have the heads of the order of created beasts/animals in the world. And the head is the “pinnacle” of that order of creation.

Lion = wild

Human = “intelligent”

Ox = Domesticated

Eagle = Bird

This stands as a reminder that we are CREATED! Yes, we have a special role, with a special responsibility. But, we are created beings along with the rest of the world.

A part of the answer of ‘Who do we worship” must be the response that we do not worship ourselves or other humans or other created things!

Remember, the world of John was tempted and tested in their faithful witness with the idea of worshiping the emperor or worshiping some other form of creation as opposed to the Creator.

Maybe in our world it takes the form of finances, or a political party, or presidential candidate. Or, maybe we worship creation and wild animals, but not the Creator.

This is also a reminder that God is intimately close with creation! All creation is represented in the throne room and they matter to God. If creation matters to God, creation must matter to us! And all creation is created to praise God!

The 24 Elders dressed in white

A reminder of the faith that is built upon the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles… This IS an image of the church as a whole whose foundation is Jesus Christ revealed by the Old and New Testaments!

This is a visual of the promise made to the faithful who overcome. They will rule with God, they will be dressed in white, they will be given the victor’s crown etc…

It is an image of the Faithful Witnesses of Christ who have overcome. In a couple weeks we will see a little more about what it means to overcome. But, they are a current glimpse of the future reality that not only will God be worshipped by creation, but there will be a special group that worships Him; the faithful witnesses.

They cast their crowns at God’s feet declaring that although they have a special place in God’s throne room, they are NOT to be worshiped, nor are they worthy. God alone is worthy of their worship!

And, they answer the “Why?” question. They sing

… For/Because you created….

God is worthy to be worshiped because God did the work of creation!

Others might try to deceive us for our worship. They might make lofty promises and say some amazing things about why they should be worshiped. But, ultimately, it was God alone who created, and therefore God alone is the MOST SUPREME AND MOST POWERFUL BEING. And therefore, the most deserving of our worship.

Here’s the point!

God created, God loves creation, God has a plan for creation.

God deserves our worship because he has created, he has loved, he has a plan.

Worshiping anything, or anyone else, is a deviation to God’s plan and a profaning of what it means to worship.

The One who created showed that He was most powerful. If He is most powerful there is no need to worship anything else and there should be no desire to worship anything else.

Those who seek to be faithful witnesses of God and Christ in our world must first take a look at who they worship, and be able to answer why.

IF you cannot answer why, then you will be easily led astray by false claims of grandeur and promise.

But, once you can answer why (because God created) then there is nothing else as grandiose deserving of our worship.

And then, once you realize that this God also has a plan for creation you realize that there definitely is NO ONE ELSE worthy of your worship. And then, you can be defended against those who wish to lead you into false worship.

So, who do you worship? Why?

Communion

We respond in Worship - not only because God HAD a plan. Communion points to God’s continued plan to RESTORE all creation as communion points to the life, death, resurrection AND COMING AGAIN OF JESUS CHRIST

1 Corinthians 11:23–29 NLT

23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. 27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.

Benediction

1 Timothy 1:17 KJV 1900

17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.