The Throne Room of Heaven
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Here a few years ago, maybe 10 years or so now, there seemed to be tons of new books and movies coming out all about Heaven. It was as it there was an overwhelming fascination with the afterlife. There was one book called “Heaven is for Real”, another called “90 Minutes in Heaven”, and there were others.
Unfortunately, it seemed as if they all gave a different account of what they experienced and what they saw during these “Near-Death Experiences”.
Fortunately for us, we have a detailed account in Scripture from someone who was granted access to the throne room of Heaven. This was no near-death experience, but rather an invitation by God. Jesus calls John the Revelator up into Heaven so that he might see and record all of these things in which he is given access to.
John is not the only one in Scripture given the privilege of seeing heaven. Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 is also called up into heaven, but he was not allowed to share what he saw. I also believe that Ezekiel was one of those given this pristine privilege of seeing the glory of God’s throne room (Ezekiel 1). Regardless, John’s vision is by far the most detailed of any proven sight of heaven that we have. Not only is John allowed to see the throne room itself, but his vision goes on to see those things which will take place in the future.
With that being said, any time we here of another account of someone seeing heaven, we must compare it to the truth of God’s Word and make sure it lines up with what we already have.
In Chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation, we get the opportunity to survey the throne room of God itself. John writes of its beauty and glory in multiple ways. Not only does he write of its visual beauty (the bright colors, the fire, the splendor of it), but he also writes of its beauty because of what takes place there (the Lamb who is found worthy to open the scroll).
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
“After these things”
This phrase comes twice in the verse; once at the beginning and once at the end. The first one deals with the chain of events from John’s perspective. He writes it to indicate that this second vision took place after the first vision he received. The first was of Jesus Christ Himself in all of His glory, and the second will be of His dwelling place.
The second time it is written, it is spoken by Jesus Himself. This time it deals with the chain of events from Jesus’s perspective.
19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.
The “after this” spoken by Jesus here in Chapter 4 is synonymous with the “after this” of Chapter 1. It is referring to things that will come to pass in the future. The events recorded from here on out will all take place later, but John is given the opportunity to see them now, and then write them for the world to see.
“, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.”
This open door speaks of the invitation that John received to enter the throne room of God. Open doors resemble admittance, or acceptance. This means John was given permission to enter into the glory of the Lord on this day.
“And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me,”
This voice is none other than Jesus Himself. His voice is described in this exact way in Chapter 1:
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
This invitation is from Jesus Himself. Jesus has invited John into His presence to convey certain truths back to the world:
He is alive and well, seated at the right hand of the Father, just as he said He would be.
He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The glory perceived of Him on earth does not even begin to describe His true glory in all of its fullness. The angels, the creatures of heaven, and the elders bow to give Him glory.
The end has already been determined. God wins. The details of what will take place concerning the end of this world has already been orchestrated by God Himself, and those who stick with Jesus are on the winning side.
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
This verse provides the main topic or central theme of this Chapter: the throne and He who sits upon it. Everything that follows in this Chapter will relate to the throne or the Father in some way.
This verse also proves that the Spirit of an individual can go be in the presence of God while the body remains on earth.
3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
The jasper stone is what we would call a diamond.
11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
When light is shown through a diamond, a prism is the result. A prism is all the colors of a rainbow refracting through a clear diamond/crystal. This explains the rainbow color surrounding the throne at the end of the verse.
The Sardis stone was a fiery, bloodred ruby.
Could very well symbolize God’s wrath getting ready to be poured out upon all the earth (Rev. 6-19)
John MacArthur also writes:
Revelation 1–11: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary On the Throne
There is a possible further symbolism in the choice of these two stones. The sardius and the jasper were the first and last stones on the high priest’s breastplate (
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.
Many have debated who these twenty four elders are, or who they represent, but they most likely represent the raptured church who has been taken to glory before the time of Great Tribulation. Their white robes and crowns are synonymous with the promises offered to the churches of the letters in the Chapters 2-3.
5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.
Lightnings and thunderings seem to accompany to presence of God throughout Scripture. When God would set down upon the temple in the Old Testament, the people would see a great cloud fill that place as if there was a massive thunder cloud. When Moses went upon the mountain and spent time with God, the people saw a terrible storm over the mountain for the entirety of that time.
Throughout Revelation, we also see these lightnings and thunderings present as certain things take place (Revelation 8:5; 11:19; 16:18).
These seven Spirits of God seem to be the same as mentioned in Revelation 1:4 “4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,”
We discussed the different mindsets concerning these spirits, but it could very well be angels, maybe even the same seven angels who will pour out the wrath of God upon this sinful world during tribulation.
This crystal sea could very well be a massive slate of crystal, which could simply be there to reflect the brightness of His glory throughout the entirety of the throne room.
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
6 … And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”
This last section focuses upon the four creatures who fly around the throne:
Ezekiel seemed to think that each creature had all four faces but here in John, it seems as if each one is unique. Regardless, these beings are not to be messed.
15 And the cherubim were lifted up. This was the living creature I saw by the River Chebar.
Ezekiel notes that these creatures are cherubim, an exalted order of angels.
After Adam and Eve sinned, a Cherubim was placed at the gate to guard the tree of life (Gen 3:24)
Two carved Cherubim were placed in the Holy of Holies, symbolically guarding God’s holiness (1 Kings 6:23-28)
Satan, before his fall, was “the anointed cherub who covers” (Ezekiel 28:14)
They are full of eyes, meaning that nothing under their watch goes unnoticed. They see all things in which they have been given order to protect and watch.
Revelation 1–11: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary In and around the Throne
Ezekiel’s description of these angels notes that each one possessed all four facial features (
Revelation 1–11: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary In and around the Throne
Their six wings denote that their supreme responsibility and privilege is to constantly worship God. From Isaiah’s vision, we learn that the seraphim (possibly the same beings as the cherubim) used their six wings in the following manner: “with two [they] covered [their faces], and with two [they] covered [their] feet, and with two [they] flew” (
The worship of these four creatures also serve as the catalyst for all other beings in heaven in bow in worship as well. Their song: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
Whenever they began to worship, the elders would also bow in worship, casting their crowns before the throne of God saying, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
