The Throne-room of Heaven

Good morning everyone,

My name is Kimo Baker and I am the Pastor of Worship here at Osterville Baptist Church

and I have the privilege of bringing the Word of God to you to this morning.

Would you pray with me?

Father we thank you for this opportunity to gather together as a family and dig into the Word that you have given us. God would You speak through me and use me to be a blessing this morning. would you open our ears to hear what you want us to hear. We love you and give you praise, amen.

If you do not have a Bible with you this morning, you can look under the chair in front of you and find one there.

If you do not have a Bible with you this morning, you can look under the chair in front of you and find one there.

Today I will be preaching from the Book of Revelation in Chapter 4,

the Book of Revelation can be found at the very end of the Bible

the Book of Revelation can be found at the very end of the Bible

If you are using one of the Church Bibles, you can turn to page 1030.

A little fun fact with Kimo time,

most ESV Bibles no matter shape and size have their chapters on the same pages.

Would you pray with me?

Father we thank you for this opportunity to gather together as a family and dig into the Word that you have given us. God would You speak through me and use me to be a blessing this morning. would you open our ears to hear what you want us to hear. We love you and give you praise, amen.

The Book of Revelation is written by John one of the twelve Disciples of Jesus and author to several other books in the New Testament.

The main purpose of the book of Revelation according to”The Bible Knowledge Commentary” is to present the second coming of Christ and accompanying events and to alert the people of God as well as the world as a whole to the importance of being prepared for God’s coming judgment.

In the chapters one through four, John discusses His vision of the Son of Man, Jesus, and is instructed by Jesus to “Write therefore the things that you have seen.”

We pick up here in Chapter 4

Where John is physically on the island of Patmos but is swiftly taken in Spirit to the throne room of heaven.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

The Throne in Heaven

4 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.”

Where John is on the island of Patmos

Read All of Chapter 4

The Word of the Lord

Prayer

Father we thank you for this opportunity to gather together as a family and dig into the Word that you have given us. God would You speak through me and use me to be a blessing this morning. would you open our ears to hear what you want us to hear. We love you and give you praise, amen.

There is so much going on in that there is no way for me to cover all the great details in the time frame that we have this morning together.

But there are literally hours of research in reading and in sermons available for these eleven verses found on the internet and in book form.

What I am going to do, is break this chapter into sections, the first section that we will look at are verses 1-3

Read v1 -3

English Standard Version Chapter 4

4 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.

Pastor and Author Chuck Smith in his study of said this:

We are told in the Scriptures by Paul “that we will not all sleep or die, there will come a time when those that are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord will be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye”

Smith was referencing which Paul says:

English Standard Version Chapter 15

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

English Standard Version Chapter 15

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God

In order for us to enter into the heavenly scene, we have to have a new body.

For some of us…

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.For me to enter into the kingdom of heaven

This is a great relief as we are ready to trade this model for the latest and greatest.

Smith also reminds us that: “our bodies are made from this earth and for this earth, designed to perfectly exist here.”

So when Paul says in “that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” and in verse 53 that “this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality”

We know that when Jesus calls John up to heaven in that it is his Spirit that goes and not his earthly body.

John is then given a vision of the throne of God, and of God himself.

In v3 we are given a description of God’s appearance of Jasper and Carnelian.

Considering the great descriptive details that John gives from this point forward, I was honestly surprised at how little detail he gives us as to the description of God.

I want you to close your eyes for me and Listen to this next section of

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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.

Read vv 4-7

To me, these verses are so descriptive that I could see every detail, I wonder if you could too?

It is so descriptive you can actually see it in your mind can’t you?

So visually detailed… You can open your eyes now

Let me ask you,

Did you see the twenty-four thrones and twenty-four elders

dressed in white with golden crowns on their heads?

Now there have been many debates about who the twenty-four elders are.

The suggestion that makes the most since to me is that

It could be they represent the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb as there are hints to this in

Did you see the seven torches of fire and the sea of glass like crystal?

What about the living creatures full of eyes on their front and back

signifying that they are all-seeing,

eyes toward the Father and eyes toward creation,

one like a lion, one like an ox, one like a man and one like an eagle in flight?

Than why was it

that when it came time to describe the creator of the universe, God Almighty,

John can only describe God as Jasper and Carnelian?

I submit to you that the reason that John is lax on his description of God is because

1. God is made known to us by His Presence and by those who know Him rather than by direct vision of Him.

Listen to this from verse 5

English Standard Version Chapter 4

5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder

All descriptive speech indicating God’s awesome power and authority

Jasper and Carnelian were the First and the Last of the 12 gemstones to be worn on the high priest’s breastpiece which signified the 12 tribes of Israel.

We continue with verse 5

English Standard Version Chapter 4

and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God

The seven torches represent the Spirits of God specifically the Holy Spirit and the sevenfold characters of the Spirit found in

which describe the Spirit as: The Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, and the Spirit of Knowledge and Fear of the Lord

verse 6

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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

English Standard Version Chapter 4

and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

A sea of glass, clear as crystal to reflect the brilliant awesomeness of God and the heavenly scene that surrounds Him.

You know I really could not help but notice that this story sounded familiar to me, and I am not talking about this exact story but one similar to it. Then when i was in study I fell upon

You see, Ezekiel has an experience which resembles John’s in many ways.

He is able to describe many details in his vision,

but when it comes to the appearance of God, all he could muster out

was that He (God) looked kind of like a man and that He looked like glowing Metal and Fire.

May I submit to you this thought?

Maybe it was because the splendor and majesty of God’s glory was so bright and overwhelming.

There are so many Scriptures in the Bible that either say that God is Light, or speak to His presence as being light.

Such as: , , Ezekiel chapters 1 and 8

I believe that both John and Ezekiel could only see just a glimpse of God’s appearance because of this.

that both John and Ezekiel could only see just a glimpse of God’s appearance.

and therefore that is why they spent a majority of their time in description of the surroundings of heaven and telling us of the others who were there and what they were doing.

Such as: , , Ezekiel chapters 1 and 8

and therefore that is why they spent a majority of their time in description of the surroundings of heaven and telling us of the others who were there and what they were doing.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within

Which brings me to my next point,

Which brings me to my next point,

May I submit to you that

2. We Were Made to Worship God Now and Forever

Verse 8 reads

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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!”

A new mention of the four living creatures this time a posture of Worship which the twenty-four elders then join them in verse 9.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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.

John shows us that Whenever the living creatures of God worship,

the representatives of the people of God, the Elders in this case,

accompany them in the worship.

This is where we take their example and apply it to our worship to God.

We fall down before Him giving declaring His authority over us as King

We praise Him for His Majesty as He sits on the throne,

we declare with our voices that He will reign forever and ever.

and then one of my favorite parts in all of Scripture verses 10b and 11

gives us a great description as to how to worship our God as our King.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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.”

When I was studying this chapter I found a video on DesireingGod.org of Pastor and Author John Piper discussing

When I was studying this chapter I found a video on DesireingGod.org of Pastor and Author John Piper discussing

In the video, Piper mentions that when the elders threw down their crowns before the throne, “it signifies they attribute their own faithfulness to God’s power and goodness and kindness”

In the video Piper mentions a phrase that he coined “The Doctrine of Least Meaning” which he defines as this: “Whatever else things mean in the book of Revelation, we AT LEAST know it means this...”

And when we approach the book of Revelation with this thought process in mind, there is great deal of things that we can walk away and understand.

Jasper and Carnelian were the First and the Last of the 12 gemstones to be worn on the high priest’s breastpiece which signified the 12 tribes of Israel.

When we cast down our crowns before his throne, We give Him the Chief place in our lives and declare that He is Sovereign.

We lay down our achievements, our victories and accomplishments signifying that they are nothing in comparison to God.

My next point is this

3. Because He IS WORTHY.

When we say “Worthy are You, our Lord and God,”

We declare that He is Fitting, appropriate, good, to be our Lord and God,

it has absolutely nothing to do with God being deserving to be.

Do you understand the difference?

One has to do with earning the other has to do with BEING.

Now don’t mistake me, God is deserving to be our Lord and God as well, but

God IS Worthy, God IS Love, God IS Truth

We declare that our Lord and God is Worthy, worthy to do what?

to Receive Glory which declares outward beauty and radiance

to Receive Honor which declares inner worth, dignity and honorableness

to Receive Power which declares strength and authority

But maybe you are like me when I first came about this passage,

maybe you are wondering how does God Receive Glory, Honor and Power from us?

From me?

And the key to this is in knowing that God already Objectively has these things.

He had them before we were createdd

He does not need us to get Glory and Honor and Power. He has them

But Subjectively, through our response in praise and adoration and in acclamations, He receives the Glory and Honor and Power as stated in verse 9

verse 11b reads

English Standard Version Chapter 4

for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created.

When we declare that He created all things, and that by His will they existed and were created.

We declare that not only is He the Creator, but He is the designer as well,

and that there is no one who is in charge of Him.

And therefore when we worship God as the twenty-four Elders did in verse 11,

We can worship in absolute certainty and clarity that

we worship God as our creator and the Creator of the Universe.

As I come to a close, I want to leave you with a final thought.

At the beginning of the message I told you how I was originally surprised by John’s description of God’s appearance, as the only mention of his appearance in was of Jasper and Carnelian.

Would it surprise you if I told you that, Jasper and Carnelian were the First and the Last of the 12 gemstones to be worn on the high priest’s breastpiece?

Would it also surprise you to know that the 12 gemstones represented the 12 tribes of Israel, which signifies God’s power and authority over us.

which signified the 12 tribes of Israel.

I believe that John’s vision of Jasper and Carnelian was a sign to tell us that God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.

Our God knows everything about us, He knew our names before we were born.

He knew that you would make your way into this church Sunday, December 30, 2018 when He was placing the stars in the sky.

He knows every joy filled moment of our lives, and He knows every pained filled journey that we will walk.

This past Tuesday we celebrated the birth of Jesus, and It is because God knew every action that we would take, that He would send His Son into this world so that we could know Him better, and so that Jesus could take our place upon the cross of Calvary for our sins.

Ezekiel has an experience which resembles John’s in many ways. He is able to describe many details in his vision, but when it comes to the appearance of God, all he could muster out was that He looked like a man and that He looked like glowing Metal and Fire.

May I submit to you that the splendor of God’s glory was so bright, that both John and Ezekiel could only see a glimpse of God’s appearance.

Jasper and Carnelian were the First and the Last of the 12 gemstones to be worn on the high priest’s breastpiece which signified the 12 tribes of Israel.

If you have never placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone as your Lord and Savior. What is holding you back?

tells us that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”

You are surrounded by others who are like you. In need of a Savior.

tells us that “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am going to ask everyone to bow their heads

When we place our faith and trust in Christ alone, we can rest assured in knowing that we have been given eternal life.

If you would like to do that right now, if you would like to place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ and make a deceleration to follow Him, I am going to invite you to say this prayer with me in your heart or out loud, the choice is yours.

If you would like to do that right now, if you would like to place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ right now

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness.

I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.

You said in the bible that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.

Right now I confess Jesus as my Lord. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Amen.

says” Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

If you said that prayer with me, your next step will be to let one of the Pastors or Elders know or to find someone you care about and share it with them. We have resources that we would love to get in your hands.

Now would you all stand with me.

Our Benediction this morning comes from Romans 11

English Standard Version Chapter 11

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

English Standard Version Chapter 11

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen