Visions of God

Outline

Big Idea: The visions of God in scripture DEMAND that we elevate our view of God to it’s proper and rightful place. His holiness demands reverence and worship.

Visions of Holiness

Visions in the OT

Moses Vision

Isaiah’s Vision

Ezekiel’s Vision

Daniel’s Vision

Visions in the NT

Peter, James, and John

Visions in Revelation

Throne

Colors

24 Elders

Thunder and Lightning

Before the Throne

The Creatures

Introduction

As enter chapter 4, we will behold a scene that is nothing short of epic.

It is a scene that will stretch into chapter 5 and give us a glimpse of God and His glory, His holiness that is truly awesome to behold!

Let’s begin by reading chapter 4.

Revelation 4

Revelation 4 ESV

1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Body

In Revelation 4, the scene shifts dramatically!

John is escorted in the Spirit to another place to see other things.

This is properly understood a vision.

And the scene here in Revelation 4 and 5 is nothing shy of life altering!

In it, a vision of God, of His heavenly abode radiates out.

This is NOT the first time we have had glimpses into heaven and beheld God.

John is not the first to see such wonders

This morning, what I want to do is build vision upon vision of God. I want you to see what other’s have seen and at the end of this morning present you with a call to action.

Visions of God

There are similar experiences with others the scriptures.

Experiences that help us shape and understand what we see going on here.

Visions in the OT

Moses Vision

Moses once asked to see God’s face, to behold Him.

He was told he could not, for in fact, if he had, he would have died.

But, God did tell Moses, I will allow you to see my backside, but that is all you can see without dying.

Exodus 33:19-23

Exodus 33:19–23 ESV

19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

When Moses returned from this experience with God, the same one in which he receive the stone tablets with the ten commandments, his face was glowing. He had been so close to the glory of God that he was literally shining from it.

Exodus 34:29-33

Exodus 34:29–33 ESV

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. 32 Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

Now, I realize that Moses time with God was extensive. More was done and accomplished there merely hiding in that cleft and beholding God as He passed.

BUT…this experienced changed Moses. His face glowed from the exposure to God

To God’s backside.

And this glory was only the glory from His backside…not his face…

How much more do you think God’s glory is FROM THE FRONT view?

Application Point

The fullness of God’s glory, of His holiness is beyond comprehension.

What’s more…the holiness of God is dangerous, especially to sinful and fallen people.

THUS, when we approach the holy God, the glorious God, we must approach with the proper heart, the proper posture.

Do you, do I have a proper reverence of His holiness?

Isaiah’s Vision

Isaiah 6:1-3

Isaiah 6:1–3 ESV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

Uzziah was one of the good kings. Not perfect, but he was one of those who committed His way to following God.

Even he, though had a tragic end. He would enter the temple, in his pride, and burn incense in worship to God. A right and privilege that was not his to do, but only the priests.

As a result, he was struck with leprosy and died with it. The remaining days of his life were lived out in isolation due to his sickness. (2 Chronicles 26:16-21.)

In his pride, he trampled on the holiness of God and it cost him dearly.

In the year he died, Isaiah entered the temple to worship, perhaps to find solace and comfort in the wake of the king’s passion and what he beheld there WAS THE ONE TRUE KING.

Verse two notes that he saw the Lord (lower case letters) - Adonai - means sovereign one. It is a title, not a name.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw Adonai sitting upon the throne…

I saw the sovereign one sitting on the throne

In verse 3 when he relates the recitation of the Seraphim, we see a different lord used.

LORD - YHWH - the revered, unspeaking, staunchly guarded name of God.

The combination of these two together in this verse reveal just how careful Israel was to honor and revere the name of God, to honor His holiness.

Isaiah saw THE SOVEREIGN ONE sitting on a throne…whom the angels declared to be YHWH.

Listen, when Isaiah came into the temple that day to worship, the king was dead. There was a (as RC Sproul put it) “crisis in sovereignty”

But when Isaiah went into the temple, he was confronted with THE TRUE sovereign, the TRUE KING of Israel. Uzziah may have been dead, but the king of Israel was not.

The Seraphim here have wings covering their face and feet.

These are created beings, holy. Ones who did not follow Satan when He fell.

They did not have our sin….

…and yet…

…even they have to cover their face and feet in order to be in the presence of a HOLY God.

The triple repetition of the word “holy” elevates the importance of what is being stated to the highest degree.

Repetition like this is the scriptures ways of emphasizing important or crucial truths. Double makes clear it is important. Triple elevates it even more so.

ONLY His holiness is ever treated as such. No other characteristic or attribute is treated with this triple emphasis.

One of THE KEY aspects of these visions, IF NOT THE MAIN key emphasis is the holiness of God.

Frankly, the holiness of God is a truth we often fail to fully understand, appreciate, or value today.

Notice Isaiah’s response…

Isaiah’s response was one of despair. He says…

Woe is me

The strength of this response cannot be understated. It literally means to be “undone.’ Literally to disintegrate.

To come apart at the seams. To literally fall apart.

to DIS Integrate

One look at the holiness of God had this effect on Isaiah, possibly the most righteous man alive during his age.

He literally collapsed into a ruined, disintegrated heap when he beheld the glory, the holiness of God.

THIS IS HOW HIGH the holiness of God is.

Application Point

Church, have you ever been UNDONE, literally disintegrated by coming into God’s holy presence?

Have you been left unraveled at the seams?

Have you so encountered the Holy God that you embrace your proper posture before Him?

But Moses and Isaiah (and John) were not the only ones to see such visions of God.

Ezekiel also beheld them!

Ezekiel’s Visions

Ezekiel sees the same, or very similar, creatures and gives us yet another description of them.

Ezekiel 10:14

Ezekiel 10:14 ESV

14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was a human face, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Ezekiel 1:26-28

Ezekiel 1:26–28 ESV

26 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezekiel sees them and denotes that they each had all four faces.

There are similarities between his vision and John’s.

And yet, He, and Isaiah, and Moses, and John are not the only ones to get these glimpses into heaven…

We have already seen Daniel’s….

Daniel’s Vision

Daniel 7:9-14

Daniel 7:9–14 ESV

9 “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. 11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Ezekiel and Daniel saw into the same vision that John was seeing. Yet, they stood at different points in history.

They saw a vision of God the Father on the throne, terrible to behold.

They saw His justice and his judgment coming in holy wrath.

Application Point

Church, do you stand in worship and reverence of a God who will always be just and true?

Do you celebrate that this means he WILL be a God of wrath? And he must be so?

Does this truth give you great pause in the way you live your life before Him?

If Daniel, Ezekiel, and John’s visions show us anything, it is that He is a God of holy wrath who will always act just and right ways.

John, at an earlier time in his life, along with Peter and James also got a glimpse at God’s glory in the person of Christ.

Visions in the NT

Peter, James, and John

Matthew 17:1-8

Matthew 17:1–8 ESV

1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

While not the same experience exactly as Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, they were privy and witness to God’s glory, specifically Christ’s glory, in a different way.

Their response…we should just stay here FOREVER and worship God and You!

They wanted to erect temples and worship forever in that spot.

Such is the glory of God! It invokes both TERROR and WORSHIP.

Application Point

Church, when you come into God’s presence, when you behold him in all His glory and holiness, are you compelled to stay? Does every other thought and desire flee in the face of the glory of God?

Or are you still too quick to run to other things? Do other things still compel you more than God?

These ones who experienced such visions and rapture into the holiness of God, experienced fear, terror, and similar response.

They were provoked to worship. I wish I had time to exegete every single one of those passages today, but I do not. But a careful study of them all would most certainly be well worth the time!

Visions in Revelation

Point is though, John’s vision of God, of the throne room of heaven is not unique here. It is not a one of a kind. Others saw into it as well.

It is, however, profoundly life altering.

So, let’s look at Revelation 4 and see exactly what it is that John is seeing.

Revelation 4:2–3 ESV

2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.

Throne

We are told, in this vision, that there was a throne and one seated on the throne.

This one is none other than God the Father.

God the Father is seated upon the throne

We will see Jesus enter later (Chp 5) which is how we are able to ascertain, in part, that this is the Father and not Christ.

Colors

God the Father here has the appearance of Jasper and Carnelian (or sadius)

In antiquity, Jasper referred to a variety of opaque to translucent stones that varied in color. Was often brown, green, red, or yellow.

However, here in Revelation, it is referred to as clear, which may possibly liken it to a diamond, clear and reflective.

The carnelian is red, like ruby.

The jasper and carnelian are the first and last stones on the high priest’s breastplate.

Exodus 28:15-20

Thus, these colors could depict God’s promise and covenant to the Israel, His promise that He has not cut them off or rejected them, but that He still claims and holds them as His own.

A promise that they his forever.

In addition to this, there was a emerald rainbow over the throne.

That it is green does not necessarily mean that the entire rainbow was green. It could have been OR it could simply mean that the dominate color was green.

We are not given any explanation for any of these colors, just the description of what John was seeing.

What we do know is that the rainbow was the sign of God’s covenant to never destroy the world by flood again.

The presence of the rainbow here could be a reminder of that.

It could stand as a comforting sign in the midst of much that certainly could be terrifying.

It could be a reminder of God’s promise to never destroy completely but to redeem, rescue, and restore.

In light of the terrifying things John is seeing, this could be true.

In light of the coming judgement that John will see this would have been comforting for sure.

In addition to these things, we see 24 elders.

Revelation 4:4 ESV

4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.

24 Elders

There is much debate over who these 24 elders are.

Some hold that these are some angelic beings who worship God around the throne incessantly, like that of the Seraphim or Cherubim.

Those who hold this view argue that the praise pronounced by them in Revelation 5:9-10 is general and not specific.

Some translations, like the KJV) write this as the elders singing “purchased US…made US to be…WE will reign”

However, this translation is based on transcripts that are not as good as some of the older ones.

The older and better transcripts have pronouns that read more broadly. “Purchased MEN…made “THEM…THEY will reign.” THE ESV, using those transcripts, records it this way.

In addition, they will argue that these 24 elders are associated with the four living creatures whose job is to engage in worship of God ceaselessly.

They would argue that though they are dressed in white, so are the angels, elsewhere, said to be.

They would argue that though they are said to wear crowns, the saints, the church are not the only ones in scripture to do so. In fact Satan is said to where one later as are the locusts that will come in one of the judgments.

There are too many who also wear crowns to dogmatically declare that these ones wearing crowns are in fact the church.

Some hold that they are human and that they represent a split view.

12 represent Israel

12 represent the church

While this may be a possiblity, the problem with it is this…

There is not enough evidence to substantiate this.

While many individual Jews have accepted Christ as Messiah and have believed, as a whole, the nation of Israel has not and will not until the end of the Tribulation period.

To have 12 of them representative of the 12 tribes would be to suggest that as a whole, the nation has repented and believed, when they have not.

Then there is the view that all 24 represent the church.

The Church

Those who hold this view do so for a number of reasons

The term elders is never applied to angels, thus ruling them out.

And while angels are said to wear white, the context of the book, and having just come out of the letters to the church where they are told the saints will be dressed in white, seems to suggest the church, believers

The crowns are promised to believer, to the church, and thus seems to fit.

Angels are never seen to be wearing crowns or promised them either.

These cannot be the tribulation saints, for the tribulation has not begun or been completed yet at this point.

Thus, those who hold this view believe that these 24 elders represent the church

This is the view I have grown up with and am most likely to accept, though I acknowledge the concerns and reservations of those who did not.

As we read on, we see quite the scene unfolding.

Revelation 4:5 ESV

5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God,

Thunder and Lightning

You know how terrifying a good Thunder and lightning storm can be when it is outside.

This thunder and lightning was emanating WITHIN the throne room, FROM the throne itself.

In Exodus 19:16 and Ezekiel 1:13, such thunder and lightning was indicative of the presence of God.

In Revelation 8:5, 11:19, 16:18, we will see that it will be evidence to God’s wrath and judgement.

Essential, John is seeing the very presence of God and he is being given a view of God’s coming wrath.

Truth is, this scene in heaven, while it does have it’s worship, it a scene of wrath and terror.

The worship taking place, is worship regarding God’s holy wrath and his holy judgement that is about to descend.

This scene is not a comforting one, but it is one full of wrath and indignation.

Revelation 4:6 ESV

6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:

Before the Throne

Seven torches of fire

We are told these seven torches represent the Holy Spirit

As we saw in our study in Revelation 1, the reference to the Holy Spirit in this manner is done to illustrate the fullness, the completion of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 11:2 depicts the Spirit as:

Isaiah 11:2 ESV

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Referring to Him as such also makes known His deity.

Thus, you have the seven fold Spirit

Deity

Wisdom

Understanding

Counsel

Might

Knowledge

Fear of the Lord

In short, this depiction is intended to show us the fullness of the Spirit, present in heaven, before the throne of God.

In the next chapter, we will see the Son of God.

Within these two chapters, we will behold the entire Trinity.

Sea of Glass

According to Revelation 21:1, “1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” there is no sea in heaven.

So this is not a literal sea, but a metaphor.

What John saw was a vast pavement of glass. Glass that was shining in brilliant and spectacular fashion.

Exodus 24:10 records a similar instance.

Exodus 24:10 ESV

10 and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.

Truth is, heaven is a world of dazzling light and beauty! The light refracts off every surface, making it seem even brighter still.

Heaven reflects the reality of God, LIGHT and BEAUTY and HOLINESS.

Revelation 4:6–8 ESV

6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

The Creatures

And here is where the four living creatures enter.

All four of them had eyes one every side of them. Eyes all around.

First one - Lion

Second one - Ox

Third one - face of a man

Fourth one - Eagle in flight

All four had six wings, were full of eyes.

These four creatures will have a recurring and prominent role within Revelation.

This is not the first time they are seen either.

Ezekiel 1:4-25

Ezekiel 1:4–25 ESV

4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. 5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, 6 but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning. 15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. 23 And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. 24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings.

As we read passages like Revelation 4, Isaiah 6, and Ezekiel 1, we are struck by the difficulty these writers had in describing what they saw.

BUT

What Ezekiel and Revelation 4 BOTH have in common is that they are describing as MacArthur describes it, “the Divine war machine readying to unleash judgment.”

Ezekiel 10:15 identifies these four creatures as Cherubim, a form of angel that God created.

In scripture, they are often seen and associated with God’s Holy Power (1 Samuel 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 22:11; Ps 80:1; 99:1; Isa 37:16)

Cherubim were the angels that God stationed at the door the Garden of Eden to keep Adam and Eve from reentering.

Two carved Cherubim were placed in the Holy of Holies, guarding God’s holiness. (1 Kings 6:23-28).

Satan, before his fall, was “the annointed cherub who covers.” His job was to attend God’s throne (Ezekiel 28:14-16)

Like John Ezekiel saw them as having eyes all around. Though these angels are not omnipresent or omniscient, they were hyper aware. Nothing escaped them, at least not as it pertains to their duties.

Which, according to these visions, were at least in part to attend to the throne and worship God ceaselessly.

Ezekiel’s vision of the reveals to us that each of the four creatures possess one of EACH of the four faces…

Ezekiel 1:6 ESV

6 but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.

From John’s point of view, his perspective, they each had one. Maybe because of which way they were facing when he beheld them.

The Talmud is one of the central texts of Rabbinic Judaism, containing centuries of Jewish teaching, law, theology, and tradition. It is not part of the Bible, but it serves as a vital companion to the Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh) by interpreting how God’s commandments are to be understood and practiced.

According to the Talmud, these four creatures are the four primary forms of life in God’s creation.

John MacArthur explains that the the Talmud saw these four creatures relating to the created world in distinct ways.

Lion - represented the wild creatures (Strength)

Calf - domesticated animals (Service)

Eagle - flying creatures (Speed)

Man - well man (Reason)

The Talmud also notes that the 12 tribes of Israel camped under these four banners. In the wilderness, when they tribes would camp on each side of the Tabernacle, they did so under one of four banners.

Some with Reuben (Man)

Some with Dan (Eagle)

Some with Ephraim (Calf or Ox)

and the rest with Judah (Lion)

These four creatures, like the angels in general, are heavily involved in the coming judgments upon the earth. They will play in integral part in the judgments of the Tribulation.

Their six wings denote their high responsibility of worshipping God.

With two, they covered their faces, and two their feet. These are both related to worship. God is HOLY and they were not able to approach him without the proper covering and protection from that holiness.

With two, they flew. But four of the six were used in their elevated responsibility to worship God.

These four living creatures will be seen extending worship to Him who sits on throne. A scene of worship that will build, layer upon layer, until by the end of chapter 5, all creation is joining in.

BUT TO THAT, we return next week.

For today, here is how I want to end this…

What is our call to action?

Conclusion

In our casual Christianity of today…

In our comfort and familiarity with God…

We would be wise to heed this admonishment…

Big Idea: The visions of God in scripture DEMAND that we elevate our view of God to it’s proper and rightful place. His holiness demands reverence and worship.

Church, today has been instructive. We have looked at scripture, particularly Revelation 4 from an analytical, academic, and instructive manner.

BUT NOT NOT MISS the point of doing so…

A point that will be built upon and expanded next week as we take a closer look, a deeper dive into His holiness…

The point is this…While God IS close, personal, and intimate, HE IS ALSO lofty, majestic, and terrible in holiness! We must walk the fine line of intimacy with God and awe/terror before God. He IS still God. He IS still terrible and mighty. And even the greatest among us as humans, cowered when they beheld his glory.

If we do not keep this proper balance, if we do not live well in this tension, we run the risk of two grave errors…

Completely removing His closeness and making his an alien, foreign, and unapproachable God.

Removing His might, glory, power, and transcendence and bring him down to nothing more than doting grandfather who lacks glory and power.

Both of these are grave errors.

As we behold these visions of God, may we elevate our view of God WHILE at the same time, maintaining His closeness to us.

May that tension provoke the deepest and richest worship we can imagine.

Application

How can you personally elevate your view of God's holiness in your daily life?

In what ways can the vision of God's glory described in Revelation 4 transform your understanding of worship?

How does acknowledging God’s greatness affect your relationship with Him?

What does it mean to you that even the holy angels cover themselves in the presence of God?

How can you express reverence for God in your personal worship?

What makes it difficult for you to see God as both intimate and transcendent?

How might a deeper understanding of God's holiness influence your choices and actions?

In what ways can you encourage your peers to see God’s greatness?

How would you describe the balance of intimacy and awe in your relationship with God?

What steps can you take this week to reflect on the holiness of God in your life?