John's Vision of Heaven: Message No. 2. "How Many angels?" - Revelation 5:1-11

April 22, 2007

Revelation 5:1-11

Rev. Stephen Filyer

Bothwell & Clachan Baptist Churches

INTRODUCTION

Describing Something that no one Else has Ever Seen

Last week we asked the question: "How do you describe something that no one has ever seen?" That challenge continues this week. How many angels are there in heaven? And how would you describe them if you could count them?

It is a very fantastic, unreal, scene that appears in these verses, many, many angels, some creature-beasts, elders, a lion and a lamb etc. It is all just a little too overwhelming. Can you even visualize the majesty of heaven?

"The Wizard of Oz": Wrong Idea of Majesty

In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy, the Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man arrive at the legendary Emerald City to meet with the Wizard. The Wizard is reputed to hold the power to solve each of the travelers' problems. But to enter his presence, they must first traverse a long, dimly lit, gothic hallway. The Lion is not alone in his cowardice as they enter the large inner sanctum. They are greeted with an explosion and billows of green smoke.

When the smoke finally clears, a giant, menacing, bodiless head shouts, "I am Oz, the great and terrible! Who are you?"

Dorothy attempts a response, but the Wizard booms, "Silence! The great and powerful Oz knows why you are here! Step forward, Tin Man."

The Tin Man approaches this ominous-looking figure with great trepidation, only to hear the Wizard say, "You dare come to me for a heart, you clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous junk?"

The other travelers are met with similar greetings. To the Scarecrow, he shouts, "You have the effrontery to ask for a brain, you billowing bale of bovine fodder?"

To the Cowardly Lion, Oz shouts, "And you, Lion?" The poor Lion is overcome with fear and faints.

This, unfortunately, is similar to the unflattering caricature summoned up by many when they think about God. The Wizard puts on a false show of majesty, but there is no love, no grace, and no mercy. -The Wizard of Oz (MGM, 1939), directed by Victor Fleming; submitted by David Slagle, Lawrenceville, Georg

In several places, Scripture gives an awesome picture of the holiness of God and the reverence he rightly inspires. At Mount Sinai as well as in visions given to Isaiah and Ezekiel, God manifests himself with fire and smoke and authority. That is who God is. But God is also loving and compassionate and gentle. We must hold both views of God in balance.

THE LION AND THE LAMB

God does try to help us. He gives us two seemingly conflicting images. Throughout the Bible the mighty and powerful image of the Lion, the tribe of Judah has appeared throughout the Bible. The Passover Lamb is also a central figure in the Scriptures.

The Lamb and Lion

Luci Shaw is a wonderfully artistic Christian. In studying the imagery of the Lion and the Lamb with its contrast she concludes - The Lamb says: simplicity, meekness, white fleece, smallness, innocence, purity, helplessness, submission to sacrifice. We associate it with soft plush toys. The Lion, however, says Shaw, is all: strength, size, golden mane, grandeur, courage, and untamed power. Some of us saw that portrayed in the Lewis’ film: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe. How paradoxical that both the image of the Lamb & the Lion speak of Christ! Neither is a perfect image; each symbolizes different characteristics of the same infinite Person. -Adapted from Luci Shaw, Leadership, Vol. 2, no. 3.

These two pictures merge in the person of Jesus, as he lived, died and was raised to new life as our Savior and Lord. Paul touched on them in Philippians 2:6-11 in his Hymn of Praise. The powerful Lord giving up heaven’s glory to become the lamb that was sacrificed on the cross for our sin.

God's Ultimate Weapon

Charles Colson, in commenting on Jesus sacrifice, wrote: "When God wanted to defeat sin, his ultimate weapon was the sacrifice of his own Son. On Christmas Day two thousand years ago, the birth of a tiny baby in an obscure village in the Middle East was God's supreme triumph of good over evil." -Charles Colson in A Dangerous Grace. Christianity Today, Vol. 40, no. 14.

WHAT JESUS DID FOR US

Jesus generous act of providing salvation leads to a great sense of relief in heaven. John is informed that there is someone who, because of his great sacrifice, is also worthy to act on behalf of mankind in the future. The bill of sin has been paid.

Author James Herriot: Bill Paid in Full

Many of you have heard of or have read books by veterinarian James Herriot. Herriot, the author of All Creatures Great and Small, tells of an unforgettable wedding anniversary he and his wife celebrated early in their marriage. His boss had encouraged him to take his wife to a fancy restaurant. James balked. He was a young veterinarian and couldn't afford it. "Oh, do it!" the boss insisted. "It's a special day." James reluctantly agreed and surprised his wife with the news.

On the way to the restaurant, James and his wife stopped at a farm to examine a farmer's horse. Having finished the routine exam, he returned to his car and drove to the restaurant unaware that his checkbook had fallen in the mud. After the meal, James reached for his checkbook only to discover it was gone. Embarrassed, he tried to offer a way of making it up.

"Not to worry," was the waiter's reply. "Your dinner has been taken care of!" James's employer had paid for the dinner in advance.

When Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished," it meant, "paid in full." -Greg Asimakoupoulos, Naperville, Illinois

HOW WE RESPOND TO HIM

How do we respond to such a gift of forgiveness from God? Really, that is what much of Sunday morning worship is about. Even the word "worship" has old roots of "worth-ship" embedded within.

Singing to Jesus

Merle Mees tells the story of an event that took place at a youth camp. The camp pastor told us how much he missed his son Noah. He asked if we would be willing to sing to his son over his cell phone. So together we sang his son's favorite song. After the camp pastor told Noah good-bye, he told us nothing could have made him happier than when we sang to his son.

Mees concluded: (The camp pastor) then said that is what it means to worship. Worship is pleasing God the Father by singing to his Son. -Merle Mees, pastor, Western Hills Baptist Church, Topeka, Kansas

There is also a unity of purpose in this great heavenly choir which John attempts to portray for us.

No Solos in the Book of Revelation

Graham Kendrick has written a great deal of the last few years worship music. Looking at the Book of Revelation from a musical perspective he commented: Interestingly, of all the songs in the Book of Revelation, not one is a solo. The twenty-four elders sing and cast their crowns before His feet, the united voices of countless angels resound, every living creature in heaven and earth and under the earth and all that is in them are joined in one song. Those who are victorious over the beast are given harps and a song to sing. In every case, multitudes of people or angels unite in the same song with absolute unity.-Graham Kendrick. Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 2.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO US?

But what does all of it mean to us? John’s attempt to give us a heavenly glimpse of Lambs, Lions, angels and creatures? We live in a world in which too many people have died over the last week. From the most Canadian soldiers to die at once since the Korean War, to the hundreds of civilians in Iraq, to scores of students at Virginia Tech, it seems as if all we have heard this week is about death and dying. In light of that, how prepared are we to see heaven arrive? No matter who or what await us there?

Lighting Director Prepared for Heaven

Pastor Jack Hayford tells this story:

It was a deeply sobering day when I came to Carl's room in the hospital knowing there were only a matter of hours to live. As we sat beside the bedside, I said, "Carl, how are you feeling?"

Carl was a man of deep faith and commitment to Jesus Christ, and a very experienced and highly respected lighting director at CBS. He looked at me, his eyes misted slightly, and he said, "Pastor Jack, you know when you're in my business, it's the combination of lights, the skill at blending things together in order to create special effects, that's what this job is about." He said, "This morning I woke up and in the quiet of my heart, Jesus spoke to me and he said, 'Carl, how would you like to direct a sunset?'" -Heaven, Gaither Gospel Series CD (track 14); submitted by Lee Eclov, Vernon Hills, Illinois

Are you ready to direct sunsets for Jesus? The great Scottish preacher, Peter Marshall Sr., said that he hoped to be allowed to be a gardener in God’s beautiful rose gardens.

John, the wonderful visionary who tried so hard to make heaven come alive for us, wrote years before in his gospel, that he hoped its words would lead people to believe in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour so that they too could enjoy all of Heaven's beauty. What role might you play in that heavenly land? Can you start here in this one which is so broken and needing so much help?