Revelation Session 7
Notes
Transcript
The Heavenly Throne Room (4:1-11)
The Heavenly Throne Room (4:1-11)
Outline
I. Recap of Previous Sessions
I. Recap of Previous Sessions
Over the past six sessions, we have explored the letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor. These letters are more than historical records — they are spiritual diagnostics from Jesus Himself. Each message reveals what Christ commends, what He corrects, and what He promises to those who overcome.
Ephesus: A doctrinally sound church that had lost its love. Christ calls them to remember, repent, and return.
Smyrna: A suffering church that remained faithful. Though poor and persecuted, they were rich in Christ. No rebuke was given.
Pergamum: A church faithful under pressure but compromising with false teaching. Christ calls them to repentance.
Thyatira: A loving and serving church, but tolerating moral and theological corruption. Christ warns of judgment.
Sardis: A church with a reputation for life, but spiritually dead. Christ commands them to wake up and strengthen what remains.
Philadelphia: A small and faithful church. Though weak in power, they held fast to Jesus’ name and received only encouragement.
Laodicea: A self-deceived and lukewarm church. Christ offers both rebuke and a gracious invitation to renewed fellowship.
Each letter followed a recognizable pattern:
• Address to the angel of the church
• Description of Christ (drawing from the vision in chapter 1)
• Commendation or rebuke
• Command or exhortation
• Warning or encouragement
• Promise to the one who overcomes
• Closing appeal: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
This structure grounds us in the character of Christ and reminds us that He knows His churches — their strengths, their sins, and their struggles.
Now, as we enter Revelation 4, we shift from the church’s perspective on earth to a heavenly perspective centered on the throne of God.
Before any judgments begin, before seals are broken or trumpets blown, the spotlight turns to heaven — and the sovereign King who reigns over all.
II. Historical & Theological Context
II. Historical & Theological Context
A. Historical Context
There is a major transition in the book. Chapters 2-3 addresses the church directly with the seven letters to seven local congregations in Asia Minor. Now John is called up to heaven to witness other things. This is a different and new vantage point. It goes from earthly struggle to heavenly sovereignty. Judgements come later.
This pattern is also seen in Isaiah 6, and Ezekiel 1 where prophets are taken or drawn into the throne room of Gd before receiving messages about coming judgements or restorations.
For John’s first-century audience — facing persecution, compromise, and uncertainty — this vision reminds them that God is still on the throne. Rome may appear powerful, but the true authority sits in heaven.
While there is debate about when the events of Revelation take place (past, present, future), what is not debated is that worship and sovereignty are central themes in this chapter.
B. Theological Significance
Throne is the key word in this chapter, appearing 14 times in 11 verses. The point is unmistakable: God reigns.
Revelation 4 does not describe a chaotic future, but a calm, ordered, worshipful throne room. Everything that follows (seals, trumpets, bowls) must be interpreted in light of this vision.
The scene is heavily symbolic — with imagery drawn from Ezekiel, Isaiah, Daniel, and Exodus. Symbols include:
Jasper and Sardius (4:3) – Likely represent glory, purity, and judgment.
Rainbow around the throne – A symbol of covenant mercy (Genesis 9).
24 elders – Represent either the 12 tribes + 12 apostles (complete redeemed people of God) or a heavenly priesthood.
Seven spirits – Reflect the fullness of the Holy Spirit (cf. Isaiah 11:2).
Four living creatures – Symbolize all of creation praising God (lion = wild animals, ox = domesticated animals, man = humanity, eagle = birds).
Worship in heaven is nonstop and God-centered. This heavenly worship is not passive — it is active, loud, reverent, and theologically rich.
Revelation 4 sets the tone for what’s to come: God is worthy of worship because He is the Creator (Revelation 4), and in Revelation 5, we will see that Christ is worthy because He is the Redeemer.
III. A Vision of Heaven’s Throne Room (4:1-11)
III. A Vision of Heaven’s Throne Room (4:1-11)
1 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.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.
3 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.
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and upon those thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
5 And 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.
6 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.
7 And 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.
8 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.”
9 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,
10 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,
11 “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.”
A. Invitation to the Heavenly Vision (v.1)
1 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.”
“After these things” (μετὰ ταῦτα, meta tauta) – signals a transition from the letters to the churches to the next major section. It marks a shift in vision, not necessarily in time. This verse is not describing events that occur after the church age chronologically, but rather what John saw next in his vision.
“a door standing open in heaven” – symbolizes divine revelation. It is an invitation to see heavenly realities.
1 Now it happened in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
16 And after being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon Him,
The openness is that some heavenly reality is about to be unveiled.
Let’s keep going
1 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.”
The first voice. Whose voice did John hear when we open the pages of Revelation?
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not fear; I am the first and the last,
18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
The trumpet often signals divine revelation or summons (Exodus 19:16; 1 Thess. 4:16). This is not just information—this is a call to witness something holy and authoritative.
“Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”
• Where?
Into heaven—specifically the heavenly throne room (v.2 confirms this: “behold, a throne was standing in heaven…”). John is being invited into a spiritual realm to witness divine realities.
• How?
This is not a physical ascent; John says in v.2: “Immediately I was in the Spirit.” So, this is a prophetic, Spirit-enabled experience—similar to what Ezekiel and Paul experienced (cf. Ezekiel 8:3; 2 Corinthians 12:2–4).
3 He sent forth the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the figure of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located.
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—
4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.
The “voice like a trumpet” identifies the speaker as the glorified Christ from Revelation 1:10–13. Just as the trumpet called the people to God’s presence at Sinai (Exodus 19), so now John is summoned into a new level of revelation.
“After these things” – After what things?
“After these things” – After what things?
The second “these things” (meta tauta) at the end of Revelation 4:1 is Jesus speaking, not John. It’s Christ’s promise about the content of what John is about to see. This has been one of the most debated phrases in Revelation, and how you interpret it is closely tied to your eschatological view.
In Revelation 1:19, Jesus told John:
“Write therefore the things you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this (meta tauta).”
“Write therefore the things you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this (meta tauta).”
That’s essentially the book’s built-in outline.
“The things you have seen” = Chapter 1 (John’s vision of Christ).
“Those that are” = Chapters 2–3 (the present situation of the seven churches).
“Those that are to take place after this” = The visions starting in chapter 5 onward.
So, the “these things” in 4:1 refers to the events after the current state of the churches — the future portion of the vision.
Interpretation of “these things” by View:
Dispensational Premillennialism (DP)
The end of the “church age.” The “after these things” signals the shift to the future Tribulation. The rapture has occurred (implied between chs. 3–4), and John is now seeing what will happen in the 7-year Tribulation and beyond.
Historic Premillennialism (HP)
Not a rapture event but a shift in vision. The “after these things” simply means “after the letters to the churches.” John is now going to see the heavenly preparations for the unfolding of God’s plan in history (including persecution and Christ’s return).
Amillennialism (A)
“These things” is not a new chronological section but a new cycle of visions describing the same church age from another angle. The throne room vision is a symbolic revelation of God’s sovereignty over all that is and will be.
Postmillennialism (P)
Similar to Amillennialism—“these things” introduces a new visionary cycle, not a strict timeline. The chapter is about God’s present reign that undergirds His ongoing plan for history.
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.
3 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.
“In the Spirit” – indicates divine empowerment to see heavenly visions (cf. Revelation 1:10).
The throne – the central image of this chapter; represents God’s sovereign rule and authority over all creation.
“Like jasper and sardius” – symbolic of God’s glory and holiness. These stones radiate brilliance and fire (cf. Ezekiel 1:26–28).
The rainbow like an emerald – possibly evokes the Noahic covenant (Genesis 9:16) and God’s mercy encircling His judgment.
The throne is not just a seat — it is the central symbol of divine authority and kingship. In Revelation, everything happens in relation to the throne.
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and upon those thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
The Elders:
Literal (DP): A heavenly ruling council distinct from the church.
Typological (A/P): Representatives of the people of God in both Covenants (tribes+apostles)
Heavenly beings (HP): Symbolic celestial creatures, reflective God’s government
The elders reflect worshipping leadership, aligned with God’s will. If they represent the redeemed, this shows the people of God reigning and worshipping.
White garments represent purity, righteousness, victory.
The golden crowns are rewarded authority echoing the promises to overcome.
5 And 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.
What does the flashes of lightning and sounds of thunder remind of?
Reminiscent of Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16) – God’s awesome presence and impending judgment.
Seven lamps of fire – identified as the seven Spirits of God, likely a reference to the fullness of the Holy Spirit (cf. Isaiah 11:2).
The throne is not silent. Lightning and thunder represent God’s power and holiness, while the sevenfold Spirit shows His presence is active and complete.
6 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.
7 And 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.
8 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.”
Sea of glass – calm and crystal-clear; perhaps symbolizing separation, purity, or divine transcendence. It may allude to the bronze laver in the temple (1 Kings 7:23) or the firmament in Ezekiel 1.
The Bronze Sea (1 Kings 7:23–26)
23 And he made the sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and thirty cubits in its circumference.
24 Now under its brim gourds went around encircling it ten to a cubit, entirely encircling the sea; the gourds were in two rows, cast with the Sea when it was cast.
25 It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the sea was set on top of them, and all their rear parts turned inward.
26 And it was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, as a lily blossom; it could hold two thousand baths.
In Solomon’s Temple, there was a massive bronze basin called “the sea,” about 15 feet in diameter and holding thousands of gallons of water.
It was used by the priests for ceremonial washing — purification before entering God’s presence.
It symbolized the need for cleansing before approaching God.
🛁 Connection: The bronze sea was placed outside the Holy Place, while in Revelation, the sea of glass is seen inside heaven’s throne room, signifying that cleansing has already occurred.
“Like crystal” emphasizes clarity, perfection, and purity.
Symbolizes the holiness of God’s presence and the cleansed state of the worshippers who now stand before Him.
If the bronze laver was used for washing, the glassy sea shows the result: those before the throne are already cleansed.
Some interpreters see the sea as representing the separation between God and creation — a kind of barrier of holiness.
But this is later transcended in Revelation 21:1:“and the sea was no more” — symbolizing the removal of all separation between God and His people in the new creation.
Priestly imagery: Just as the priests had to wash in the bronze sea, the saints in Revelation have been washed in the blood of the Lamb (Rev 7:14).
Heavenly temple: Revelation is filled with temple imagery, and the sea of glass mirrors the bronze sea — but now in permanent, glorified form.
Access granted: Whereas the Old Testament sea kept people at a distance, this one is transparent — believers can approach God’s throne because they have already been made clean.
The Living Creatures:
Lion = wild animals
Calf/Ox = domesticated animals
Man = humanity
Eagles = birds
These creatures point to all creation worshiping God, acknowledging His holiness and authority day and night.
The constant cry Holy, Holy Holy is something what was also witnessed by Isaiah and Ezekiel.
The Same Heavenly Reality — Described Three Ways
The Same Heavenly Reality — Described Three Ways
Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1–3)
Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1–3)
Calls them seraphim (“burning ones”)
Describes six wings
Focus: Majesty and Holiness of God
Song: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts…”
Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:4-28; 10:1-22)
Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:4-28; 10:1-22)
Calls them living creatures, later identifies them as cherubim
Describes four faces, four wings, wheels, full of eyes
Focus: Mobility, omniscience, and power of God’s presence
They accompany God’s glory and support His throne
John (Revelation 4:6–8)
John (Revelation 4:6–8)
Calls them living creatures
Describes four distinct beings: lion, ox, man, eagle
Each has six wings and is covered in eyes
Song: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come”
What Ties Them All Together
What Ties Them All Together
They are all seen in the immediate presence of God, surrounding His throne.
They are described in symbolic, apocalyptic terms — each prophet or apostle using phrases like “had the appearance of” or “was like” (Hebrew/Greek simile language), acknowledging that earthly language can’t fully capture heavenly beings.
The core message from their mouths is always the same:
“Holy, Holy, Holy”
This triple repetition (a Hebraic way of expressing superlative) emphasizes God’s utter uniqueness, transcendence, and perfection.
“Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John were each given a glimpse into the throne room of heaven — and though separated by centuries and writing in different settings, each saw the same reality: heavenly beings surrounding the throne, crying out the same eternal truth — Holy, Holy, Holy. They described them in different ways — as seraphim, cherubim, or living creatures — not because they were different, but because no words in any language could do justice to what they saw. They reached for the closest comparisons they could: ‘like,’ ‘as,’ ‘in appearance of’… Their testimonies converge on this truth: our God is infinitely holy, and all creation in His presence responds in worship.”
9 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,
10 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,
11 “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.”
Their response is ongoing worship. They:
• Fall down,
• Cast their crowns,
• Declare God as Creator and Sustainer.
“Worthy are You… for You created all things…”
Theological note:
God’s worthiness is rooted in creation—His sovereignty and authority precede salvation history.
IV. Application: Living in Light of God’s Throne
IV. Application: Living in Light of God’s Throne
Slide with all 5 application points
1. Reorient Your Worship Around God, Not Yourself
The heavenly scene places all glory, honor, and power at the feet of God (v. 11).
True worship is not about how we feel, what we like, or what we “get out of it.” It is about the worth of the One on the throne.
Application: Evaluate your personal and corporate worship—are they centered on God’s character or human preferences?
2. Remember Who Sits on the Throne
The church in John’s day was under immense persecution. John’s vision begins with a throne—occupied and unshaken.
In chaos, fear, or uncertainty, God is not wringing His hands. He is ruling.
Application: When life feels unstable, anchor your thoughts in the heavenly reality that God reigns now.
3. Respond to the Holiness and Sovereignty of God
The seraphim never cease declaring His holiness (v. 8). The elders fall down in surrender.
These are not casual observers but those consumed by His glory.
Application: Do our lives reflect a reverence for God’s holiness, or have we grown too casual with the sacred?
4. Realign Your Priorities with Heaven’s Agenda
Heaven values holiness, surrender, worship, and God’s will—not power, comfort, or self-promotion.
The crowns are laid down—not clutched.
Application: What “crowns” or achievements do we need to lay down at His feet—things we’ve made about us instead of Him?
5. Rekindle Your Awe
This scene is meant to leave us in awe. Before judgments are revealed, John sees the glory of the King.
We need to recapture this awe in our daily discipleship.
Application: Make space in your life to reflect on the greatness of God. Read slowly. Meditate deeply. Worship freely.
V. Theological Reflection: The Throne -Centered Universe
V. Theological Reflection: The Throne -Centered Universe
God’s Sovereignty is Central Reality of the Universe
The throne is the central image in this chapter, mentioned 12 times.
Everything in heaven revolves around the One seated—not the angels, not the elders, not even the future events to come.
Before judgment, war, or tribulation—God reigns. This is the lens through which the rest of Revelation must be read.
19 Yahweh has established His throne in the heavens, And His kingdom rules over all.
2. Worship in Heaven is Constant, Reverent & God-centered
The four living creatures never cease praising God’s holiness and eternality.
The 24 elders respond with humility, surrendering their crowns.
Worship is not entertainment—it is surrender and adoration.
1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is Yahweh of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory.”
3. Creation Exists for God’s Glory
The elders declare in v. 11: “For You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
This confronts our tendency to live as though God exists for our plans. The reverse is true—we exist for His will.
36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
4. The Heavenly Perspective Reshapes Our Earthly Priorities
John’s eyes are lifted from earthly persecution to heavenly reality.
From this moment forward, his entire understanding of history is shaped by what he sees in the throne room.
This is not escapism—it’s clarity.
1 Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
5. The Throne is the Starting Point for All Future Revelation
Before judgment, tribulation, seals, or bowls—Revelation begins here.
The message: God is not reacting; He is ruling. Everything that follows flows from this absolute, unshakable reign.
3 who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
VI. Conclusion: Why Revelation 4 Matters
VI. Conclusion: Why Revelation 4 Matters
When the world looks chaotic, heaven is not.
When governments rise and fall, the throne remains.
When we feel small and overwhelmed, worship realigns our vision.
