The Throne Room

INTRODUCTION

Tonight in Revelation we cross in a division in the book

The letters to the churches began when John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day and heard a loud voice like a trumpet who was Jesus Himself speaking to him

Revelation 1:10–11 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.””

Lets jump to Revelation 4:1-2 “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things. Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.”

“After these things” carries us into a new section of the book. From the island of Patmos standing before the Risen Jesus, to the very throne room of heaven.

Notice Jesus says, “And I will show you what must take place after these things”

What John is about to see lies in the future

So we are moving into the revealing of things that has not yet happened (future)

REV 4:1-4

John is in the Spirit and is brought to the door of heaven and looks inside and this is what he sees:

Revelation 4:2–4 “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.”

What does it say about a person who sits upon a throne?

It means they are sovereign. (Supreme Ruler)

He who sits on the throne exercises power without limitation

Look what the living creatures call God (v 8): LORD GOD THE ALMIGHTY

Omnipotent: unlimited power

The word throne is used 46 times in the book of Revelation

Rulers here on earth are only supreme of their jurisdiction

Queen Elizabeth was sovereign over 32 countries when she ruled

Sovereignty in the USA is supposed to be the people for the government exists for the people (not to rule over the people)

Where is this throne located that John sees? HEAVEN

So the jurisdiction for the sovereignty of God is the entire universe.

There is nothing that is outside of God’s rule

We know this but we need to be reminded of this again and again

He is over ever spiritual ruler

Job 1:12 “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.”

He is over every earthly ruler

Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.”

He is over all people

Jeremiah 32:27 ““Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?””

He is sovereign over death

Psalm 39:4 “Lord, make me to know my end And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am.”

QUESTION: How does this truth of God’s sovereignty impact Christians? Suffering Christians?

ANSWER:

It should comfort us

It should remove all fear from us

The 24 elders on the thrones?

John never tells us

Interpretations differ between heavenly beings, symbolic of the church, twelve patriarchs and 12 apostles

I really do not know

LIVING CREATURES WORSHIP GOD

Revelation 4:5–8 “Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.””

Seven lamps

symbolic of God’s ability to see and act upon the whole earth

Seven Spirits

These represent the fullness of the Spirit of God

It is by God’s Spirit that he accomplished His will on earth

Four living creatures

They are exalted angelic beings who are like guardians of the throne or form the innermost circle around God

They have eyes all around (they are alert, nothing gets by them)

Six Wings (readiness to carry out the will of God)

The different faces (lion, calf, the face of a man, flying eagle)

Most likely represent the whole of God’s creation that are fully devoted to Him as Creation should be

The song of worship: :”Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty”

The word “holy” means to be set apart

And the creatures here are pointing out that God is separated from His creation

There is no other being like God

He stands far above the earth, His attributes beyond our understanding, perfect in morality and holiness

Exalted sovereign of everything in existence

He who never had a beginning and has no end

God is eternal

QUESTION: Can the future be changed since God gave John this prophecy 2,000 years ago?

I believe John in this chapter saw God in the future, not just a vision

That God is already there, the events that are recorded in the book are so concrete it is as if they have already happened, and we are simply waiting on history to catch up to the prophecy

THE ELDER WORSHIP GOD

Revelation 4:9–11 “And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.””

QUESTION: What do these verses teach us about why we worship God?

He is worthy

No one is worthy of worship except God

He created all things

Only God is the Creator

Only God can speak things into existence

Only because of God we exist

If God were to take his hand off this earth we would cease to exists

God created us because it was His will to create us

Out of the goodness of His will He created

How should we worship God?

Give glory and Honor

The prestige value that God deserves

Give thanks

Thanksgiving due Him for His actions (salavtion)