God’s Holy Authority

Introduction

We have arrived at the midpoint of our study of Acts, so I thought that today we should take a break and study from another biblical work.

The past two weeks, I have read from Revelation 4-5, and I thought they would give us good reminders from the truths they reveal.

Revelation, as a work, fits within the apocalyptic genre of literature.

It has two primary purposes:

It provides assurance to those experiencing suffering through an elaborate vision or experience.

It provides information about the future. (These need to be given in a different order with “assurance” coming second to stress why this is important.)

We might have concerns about the future circumstances we may have to live through, but we should not forget that God knows our circumstances, He intends to vindicate Himself, His Son, and His people.

God knows the plight of His people, and He has assured us that He intends to do something about it.

The Throne Scene Set

Following the usual practice of the apocalyptic genre, the writer describes a throne in heaven.

There is one who sits upon the throne ( Rev. 4:2).

The appearance of that one who sits on that throne, indeed in the whole scene itself, gets described as the writer obeys the command to “write what you see.”

The descriptive colors are green and red.

He describes things “around the throne.” (Rev. 4:3-4)

There is a rainbow or circular radiance of light around the throne.

That radiance is like an emerald.

Twenty four thrones.

On those thrones are twenty four elders.

They where white garments and gold victory crowns.

He then describes what proceeds “from the throne” (Rev. 4:5).

Lightning, sounds, and thunders.

Next comes what is “in front of the throne” (Rev. 4:5)

Seven burning lamps

A glass sea like crystal.

He ends with “in the middle of the throne and around the throne” (Rev. 4:6).

Four beasts.

While their appearance invokes awe and majesty, the movement of the paragraph leads to the two important reminders about God.

God’s Nature Honored

While the chapter may be designed to work with chapter five, John does introduce two important divine characteristics and one major concept in Rev. 4:1-11. 

In Rev. 4:8 and Rev. 4:11, the four beasts (4:8) and the 24 elders (Rev. 4:11) proclaim God to be “holy” (Rev. 4:8) and “worthy” (Rev. 4:11). 

The term “holy” refers to a qualitative characteristic that sets God apart in His nature from human beings.  It most likely connotes God’s purity and, thus, His total absence of immorality.   We must understand this as an essential aspect of God’s nature. 

“Worthy” is also a term of evaluation.  In John’s terminology, “worthy” originally denoted when a scale, which was used for measuring the quantity of money, reached equilibrium or balance.  When John wrote Revelation in the late 90’s AD, “worthy” had long been a term used to mean “having a high degree of comparable merit” (Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains, 65.17). 

So, in Rev. 4:11, the 24 elders proclaim that God merits receiving glory, honor, and power.  

God’s Authority and Control

This chapter introduces a very important concept, and God’s holiness and incomparable merit are vital to this concept. 

The events that John will witness following this chapter will not occur by accident.  Instead, they must occur because they derive from God’s own prerogative to vindicate the righteousness of Himself, His Son, and His people in the manner that He alone prescribes. 

Note in 4:1, the voice tells John “I will show you what is necessary to happen after these things.”  What Christ shows John, therefore, cannot be seen either as accidental or a fluke.  They “must” happen. 

So, the important concept at stake is that events must transpire in accordance with God’s intentions.  He not only deserves to have His holiness and worthiness acknowledged in light His creative power, but those same characteristics establish Him as the only one possessing the nature to end the world, punish His enemies (both spiritual and physical), and vindicate His people.

Conclusion

One of the key questions for this chapter is how to understand its function within the broader letter of Revelation.  It is possible that John intends to provide a majestic view of the glories of the throne of God.  No doubt, however we think of the function of the chapter, we should be overawed by God’s majesty.  The chapter also works as a kind of introduction or scene starter.  From this perspective, it moves the reader into the information found in the succeeding chapters. 

While the chapter may be designed to work with chapter five, John does introduce two important divine characteristics and one major concept in 4:1-11.  In 4:8 and 4:11, the four beasts (4:8) and the 24 elders (4:11) proclaim God to be “holy” (4:8) and “worthy” (4:11).