A vision we need

Revelation 4

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.

The Throne in Heaven

The Lord has just given His messages of encouragement and warning to the seven churches, affirming that He indeed walks among them and rules over them.

The Throne in Heaven

After this, John looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, that is the voice of Jesus, which John had heard speaking to him like a trumpet in chapter 1, said, Come up here. As Moses was called up to Mount Sinai, and other prophets were taken up to receive a message, so the Lord calls John up.

Come up here, He says, and I will show you what must take place after this.

[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.

At once, John was in the Spirit. This is to say that He was so impressed by the Holy Spirit that He was able to see what Christ was showing Him.

He was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne. God Himself, seated on the throne. John doesn’t really describe the Father, likely because no words can describe Him. He is who He is. He is Spirit. Remember that this is a vision, and the One seated on the throne symbolizes Him.

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,

He does say that He who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, semi-precious stones, to describe His beautiful radiance. And around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. John is trying to describe what he saw, and it’s hard for us to even imagine, but what he sees is glorious.

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. There’s no consensus on who or what these twenty-four elders represent. Some think they’re angelic beings. Others think they represent all of God’s people, with the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve Apostles of the Lamb, whose names will be inscribed on the walls of New Jerusalem. Still others think this refers to the order of priests serving in the Old Testament temple.

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

In any case, let us not get caught up in such details. Whoever these elders are, they are clothed in white, representing holiness, and they wear crowns, symbolizing God-given authority and power.

who was and is and is to come!”

From this throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder. Oh, have you ever watched a lightning storm? How fascinating it is. One could watch the beauty and majesty of a lightning storm and revel in its thunder for hours. Have you ever been near a lightning strike? It’s terrifying and exhilarating and awe-inspiring all at once. Around this throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder. What awesomeness.

And before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God. This is likely a symbol of the Holy Spirit Himself, whose sevenfold ministry is described in Isaiah.

[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,

Also before the throne, there was, as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. The sea is not made of glass. John says, as it were, to say that he is merely grasping to describe this. It looks like glass.

[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,

The Bible has a lot to say about the sea. The sea is terrifying. The sea is what God used to save His people and to crush those who were seeking to destroy her. Jesus showed His might by stilling the sea, while other grown men cowered in fear. This sea, before the throne, is like glass. It has been tamed, stilled, by Almighty God on the throne.

And on the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures. These creatures have features of both the Cherubim and Seraphim in the Old Testament. They are full of eyes in front and behind, showing their vigilance and their alertness. They know all that is going on in this throne room. They are the guardians of the throne and its bearers.

[11] “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

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. Again, John alludes to Old Testament descriptions of the Cherubim. Perhaps these represent all of creation, wild animals, tame animals, humans, and birds.

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, like the Seraphim in the Old Testament, are full of eyes all around and within, and they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Amen!

for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created.” (ESV)

And whenever these living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who is seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever.

and by your will they existed and were created.” (ESV)

They cast their crowns before the throne. Whatever authority and power God had granted them, they cast it at His feet, for He is the supreme authority. He has supreme, majestic power.

They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God”. The Caesar of the time demanded that the people called him “our Lord and God”, but our Lord and God, the true Lord and God is on the throne. Domitian is in Hades, awaiting the judgment of the God whom he blasphemed.

Revelation 5

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. The opening words of the Bible are, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” In that one sentence alone, when properly considered, should lead to this exultation. 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.

The Scroll and the Lamb

“Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow? Who imagined the sun and gives sources to its light, yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night. None can fathom. Indescribable, uncontainable, You placed the stars in the sky, and You know them by name. You are amazing, God! All powerful, untamable, awestruck, we fall to our knees and we humbly proclaim, ;You are amazing God!’”

The Scroll and the Lamb

Then, John saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back. This may be notably like a Roman will or contract, which had the details within and a summary on the back. Either way, this scroll was complete.

[1] Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. [2] And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” [3] And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, [4] and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. [5] And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

But this scroll was sealed with seven seals. It was locked, with the authority of Him who sealed it. In the end of Daniel, Daniel is instructed to seal the scroll until the appointed time.

But this scroll

And John saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth, no one, was able to open the scroll or to look into it. What is contained in this scroll is God’s will for the end of history, the consummation of His redemptive work. And it would not happen until this scroll was opened. And no one was able to open it! No one could read it and carry it out!

[6] And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. [7] And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. [8] And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. [9] And they sang a new song, saying,

And John began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. All is lost! The church is in jeopardy! The plan has stalled!

John was in troubled times. He was the last of the Apostles, the others having been killed for the sake of Christ. Nero has wreaked havoc on the church. Domitian has placed himself in the place of God. He is in desperate need of what comes next.

But one of the elders said to John, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals”.

“Worthy are you to take the scroll

Weep no more! Remember when Jacob was blessing his sons in Genesis, and he blessed Judah by saying that he was a lion’s cub and that the scepter would not depart from Judah, until tribute comes to his feet; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples? Well, Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

“Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

Remember when Isaiah prophesied that there would come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit? Well here is the Root of Jesse’s son, David. Here is the true Davidic King, Christ Jesus Himself. And He has conquered. He was victorious over Satan. Victorious over sin. Victorious over death. He rose and conquered the grave. He has conquered!

and to open its seals,

And He did it to this end: so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals. Praise God! Praise Jesus! By His hand, God’s redemptive plan will be finally consummated. Weep no more!

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

John looks up, but he doesn’t see a Lion. Between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, he saw a Lamb standing. The Lion of Judah became a Lamb for us. He was the perfect, spotless Lamb that was slain on our behalf. And He was truly slain.

But here, John sees the Lamb, as though it had been slain. For the Lamb did not remain slain. He rose victoriously!

[10] and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

And the Lamb was with seven horns and seven eyes. The horns represent Christ’s perfect (seven) power (horns), and it may be an ironic allusion to Daniel, whose creatures also had horns, kingdoms with power, but they did not have the power of Christ.

and they shall reign on the earth.”

These seven eyes are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth, again symbolizing the perfect Holy Spirit, whom the Father and Son sent into the all the earth. And He went and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne. Mission accepted.

And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp. The harp was to be used for music during the worship. They also held golden bowls full of incense. And you know what these bowls of incense, aromas pleasing to the Lord are? The prayers of the saints.

[11] Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, [12] saying with a loud voice,

Saints, all of your prayers are in the throne room of God, and they are pleasing to Him.

And all these creatures sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

Here are the spoils of His conquest. When He conquered, by His blood, He ransomed people for God. And not just Israelites. People from every tribe and language and people and nation. This is why He was deemed worthy.

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

And not only did He ransom them, but He also made them a kingdom and priests to our God. No longer do we need priests to grant us access to God. Because of His work as our Great High Priest, we are now priests by His grace. We have direct access to God!

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and blessing!”

Not only that, but He has exalted us to join Him in His rule. They shall reign on the earth. On this earth where we are marginalized, hated, persecuted, we shall reign with Him!

Then John looked, and he heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Joining in the praise of the Savior by the four living creatures and the twenty four elders were myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands. A myriad was used to describe a countless number, and here we have myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands of angels praising God! Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! He is worthy of all!

Oh, but it wasn’t just this number. John heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and Providence Reformed Church said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

[13] And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

Friends, we went through this passage this morning, trying not only to expound the meaning of the words, but to feel and express the bursting emotion. John needed this vision. The world around him seemed to be falling apart. The mission seemed to be failing, but Christ is on the throne. And John’s prayers weren’t in vain. They were as incense in the very throne room of God.

We need this vision, too. Does it not seem, sometimes, like the world is falling apart? North Korea, by its own proclamation, has its nukes trained on us. We have even more aimed at them. The most populous country in the world, China, vows to side with North Korea if we strike first.

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

The moral revolution seems to be winning. Sins that were deemed mental disorders in the past are now lauded as virtues. The world praises those who encourage their children to select their own genders, in defiance of the ones who made them. And if we speak out against it, we are the wicked ones.

be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

The society around us has no appetite for truth. They want to create their own truth and live in it.

It feels as if the work has stalled. Church attendance continues to decrease, and it feels like churches are closing down faster than they are being planted.

[14] And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (ESV)

And on top of that, the earth is supposedly going to heat up and kill us all.

In your own life, things may seem like they’re falling apart. Perhaps you’ve recently lost a loved one. Perhaps you’ve been abandoned by a friend for the sake of Christ. Maybe you’re discouraged because it seems like your sanctification has stalled.

We need this vision just as much as John did. John received this vision on our behalf.

He reigns! Christ reigns! He is on the throne! All of history is in His hands. Nothing happens without His decree. And no matter what He allows to happen between now and the end, He wins. It’s as if we are living in a suspense thriller that we’ve already read to the end. We know how it ends. And that is a comfort that we have that no one apart from Christ has.

Are you discouraged, brother? Run to this vision? Are you afraid? Flee to Christ? Be anxious for nothing, but present your requests to Him who sits on the throne.

A vision we need

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Moments ago, in chapter 4...