A Door Opened in Heaven

Rev. 4:1-3

A study on Revelation

A Door Opened in Heaven

Revelation 4:1-3

Theme:  God shows a door opens which changes the prophetic landscape.

Introduction:  When we move into chapter 4 of Revelation, things begin to change.  The events in the next chapters show a dramatic change will occur.  Chapters 1-3 have been on earth and the divine outline Rev. 1:19.  Write what you saw, chapter 1 and write what you  see chapters 2-3, and what shall be hereafter chapter 4-22. 

We now begin to see Revelation from different viewpoints:  1-3 earth, 4-5 n heaven.  This transporting from heaven and earth is seen through the rest of the book.  In the third part of the book’s outline things which shall be, signaling the church age is complete.  Chapter four we are told write the things which shall be after the  churches and the churches are no more. 

Chapter 4 is the consummation of the age.     Something dramatic happens here.  Tonight, our focus will be on this dramatic scene.  Notice a door was opened in heaven.  Not sure how many doors or what doors.   Before John is to see the earthly judgement, He must see a heavenly perspective on these things. 

I. The disappearance of the churches

A. Presence of the door

1.  Door is seen four times in Revelation

a. 3:8-opportunity of service

b. 3:20-twice here-call for fellowship

c. Here opened to heavenly insights on earthly scenes.

2.  Two times heaven is opened

a.  When somebody goes up

b. When somebody comes down chapter 19.

B. Absence of the church

1.  The amazing thing is that the church has occupied the central place as God views history.  Now the churches disappear and not mentioned in the rest of the book except chapter 19  where the church is seen coming down-how did it get up there? and chapter 22:16 where the churches are referred to as in the past.

2. Behind the door are two things-voice and a trumpet

3. Corresponds with I Cor. 15:51-mystery is a secret in the heart of God that a man could never learn by himself, but has to reveal it. 

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52)

There is coming a time when we shall not all die (sleep) but be changed. Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible.  There will be a generation of God’s people who are alive at the coming of the Lord. 

This same mystery is mentioned in

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17)

  Please notice here there is a trumpet and a voice here.  We shall be caught up with our Savior in the air.

II. The understanding of the rapture

On page 4 Section K The Second Advent of Christ.  We believe in that “blessed hope,” the personal imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His church prior to the seven-year tribulation period.  At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel.

There are those that do not believe in a rapture.  This does not mean they are not believers or saved, they simply view these verses in another way.  

This is why we believe in a rapture.

A. It is the literal interpretation of the Bible. 

B. There are Old Testament types which illustrate the rapture:  Enoch and Elijah, Isaiah was transported into heaven Isaiah 6, and the Apostle John was transported.

C. While the rapture is not in the Bible, it certainly describes the event mentioned in these passages-the word means transport, take away, snatch away.  In I Thess 4-the rise-points to the event the rapture refers to

D. Rev. 4-come up hither is a call of God’s people to come up to be with the Lord in glory.

 III. The deliverance of God’s people

Latter Times Chart

A. From God’s wrath

1. After the rapture, at some point we will enter the Tribulation Period.

2. This Tribulation Period is called the Great One. 

3. In Daniel 12 it is called a time the world has never seen. 

4. God’s wrath will be poured on sin in the world.

B. From God’s judgment

1.  There will be numerous judgements; yet, God’s people have been given deliverance through Jesus Christ.

2. God has not appointed us to wrath “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

Conclusion:  These will be exciting times and our world will be cleansed by God’s amazing grace.