Rev 4:6-11 & 5
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Headlines- World Economic Forum
Video - Jonathan Cahn
Prayer
So we pick up tonight in our deep dive into the Apocalypse or the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
For review I thought it would be fun to test our understanding of the book of Revelation based on what we learned last week.
What was the purpose and meaning of the Apocalypse? The Unveiling of Jesus.
What must we do to receive the promised blessing in Ch 1? Read, hear, do.
What has God given us to help us interpret and understand the Revelation? The outline given in 1:19
What is in Ch 1? We you have seen. The resurrected Christ.
Ch 2 & 3? The things which are. The church age, letters to 7 churches in Asia.
Ch 4 & 5? Meta Tauta, after these things. After the Church age. Church raptured and 7 years in heaven.
Ch 6 – 19? Seven years of tribulation to test those on the earth.
Ch 19b? The second coming of Christ.
Ch 20? The 1,000 year reign of Christ, called the millennium.
Ch 21 – 22? The new heaven and new earth.
And then ?…. We all lived happily ever after.
Now last week, I mentioned the Great Tribulation and the 7 years and the 3.5 years and its relation to the Rapture.
I wanted to give you an understanding as to where the 7 years comes from. So let’s open to Daniel;
24 “Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.
25 “Know therefore and understand,
That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem
Until Messiah the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
The street shall be built again, and the wall,
Even in troublesome times.
26 “And after the sixty-two weeks
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”
So here it is, according to Daniel 9 there 70 weeks or 70 7’s. Most scholars agree that these are indicating 7 years period. Notice though that 69 of these 7’s ended at Christ crucifixion according to verse 26, “cut off” means executed.
But there is one week or 7 year period remaining and verse 27 speaks to this.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”
This is the verse Jesus spoke about when He mentioned the abomination of desolation and notice that that happens at the 3.5 year mark, mid point of the 7 year period we know as the great tribulation.
So what we do know is that God has not appointed us to wrath and the wrath begins at the mid point of the 7 years according to our understanding.
There fore I cannot be dogmatic regarding the positioning of the Rapture as prior to the 7 years or the mid point or some time, or anytime really prior to that time. The point is no man know the day or the hour but that our attitude is that we need to be ready to go.
So let’s pick up in Rev 4:6 and for context we will read from Verse 1;
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
V6 Sea of glass clear as Chrystal. Brazen Laver or sea in the temple was probably a picture of this. The laver in the OT was used for cleansing but here those their have already been cleansed by the Blood of Christ. In a sense the Word of God is our brasen laver. “washed in the water of the Word.” So notice here in the vision the Sea; the Sea is as crystal, symbolic of the stability and firmness of the Word of God and thus we later see the Tribulation Saints standing on this crystal sea. Now John sees something I look forward to seeing;
Revelation 4:6–8 6b And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
V6b – 8a The four living creatures. Cherubim, where else are the mentioned?- See Eze 1:4-14, 10:20 – Ezekiel’s parallel vision.
Ezekiel 1:4–14 4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. 6 Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. 8 The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. 9 Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. 12 And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
- Full of eyes all around – speaks of insight and understanding.- What do the four faces mean?
4 ensigns of Israel as mentioned in Num 2. Judah – Lion, Dan – Eagle, Ruben – Man, Ephraim – Ox.
Also, in the 4 gospels
Matthew - Lion, to the Jew. The lion of the tribe of Judah
Mark – Ox , Jesus as the servant. No pedigree given.
Luke – Man, to the Greek or gentile. Humanity emphasized.
John – Eagle. Emphasizes the Divinity of Christ.
Notice the Cherubic worship – Holy, Holy, Holy, Who was, Who is, who is to come!The Songs about Gods Holiness never cease in Heaven… It is my observation that when sing of God’s Holiness we get a greater sense of His presence.
Revelation 4:9–10 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
V9 – 10 Twenty Four elders worship- Casting crowns, this is where the band Casting Crowns gets its name, was practiced in the Roman Empire by lessor kings.- Laying down crowns because God gets and deserves all the glory. Note: word for Crowns is “stephanos” the victors crown, a crown of achievement. Remember who the elder are. They are representative of all believers, OT and NT. The chapter closes with the song of the 24 elders; put yourself here because you will be among those saying this;
Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”
Consider this thought, Creation is by and for God. We exist only by the will of God and to truly live in service of Him is the only way one will find fulfillment in this life. That why Jesus said;
Matthew 16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Now the vision of the heavenly throne room continues in Chapter 5.
1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.
V1 -John is continuing his vision in Heaven. He sees a scroll, with writing on both sides and with seven seals in the hand of the one who sits on the throne.
What is this sealed scroll? i. Ancient scrolls were read horizontally, not vertically. The "rolls" of the scroll were on the left and the right, and the writing lay in narrow columns about three inches wide, written on a substance kind of like brown paper. The scroll was held in the left hand, and unrolled with the right, and as the reading went on, the previously read portion was re-rolled. On such a typical scroll, the Book of Revelation would fill a scroll 15 feet long.
Written on both sides, rough and smooth. Typically only written on one side.
What is it? We always want to interpret scripture by scripture. In this case we need to look at Jer 32.
7 ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, “Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.” ’ 8 Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. 9 So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. 10 And I signed the deed and sealed it, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales. 11 So I took the purchase deed, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open; 12 and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison.
13 “Then I charged Baruch before them, saying, 14 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.”
The scroll in Jeremiah is the title deed to property God told him to buy. In Chapter 5 the scroll referred to represents the title deed to the earth. The requirements of the forfeiture were written on the outside of (rough side) of the title deed.
So we need to do a “title search” to research who is the rightful owner. Go to Gen 1:27 – 31 here we learn God created all earth and creatures and given them to Adam & Eve to rule.
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
And then in Gen 3 we have the fall of man and the surrendering of the Dominion or Ruler ship of the earth to Satan. This important to our understanding of the world we live in with all its injustice and sin. We say why doesn’t God do something? Well God is righteous and He always is consistent with His law. Man has signed over creation to Satan.
· See 2 Cor 4:4 : The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
· I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over Me (John 14:30).
· We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19).
· in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient (Ephesians 2:2).
· Matt 4:8 Jesus is offered the whole earth by Satan.
Some see the scroll as God’s will for eternity. As an aside Roman wills were sealed with 7 seals.
2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?”
V2 Mighty angel? Notice it’s “Who is worthy” not who is willing. Many have been willing through the ages.
3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
V3 No one!! Only a blood relative of Adam could open it. Interestingly, there is an exhaustive search, apparently there are men in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth.
4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.
V4 John wept, sobbed convulsively. Why? Maybe evil is going to win. We are spiraling downward with no stop in sight. Note: Tears for the possibly the first time in Heaven.
5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
V5 One of the Elders says, Don’t weep. The lion of the tribe of Judah has triumphed.
Gen 49:9 Judah is a lion’s whelp;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
*a symbol of capital punishment taken away by Rome in AD 12.
Root of David- Is 11:1,10.
Note these are Hebrew idioms for the Messiah. Interestingly, after Chapter 3, 4 and following only Jewish names are used. Why, the church age is over and God is now dealing with Israel.
6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
V6 Then I saw a ….(lion?) no a Lamb, lit. a little Lamb. A pet lamb.
· As if it had been slain or slaughter. The only man made things in heaven are His scars. See Is 52:14.
· Standing in the center, (in the midst).
· Encircled by the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders.
· 7 Horns and 7 eyes. Perfect Power and perfect in wisdom and understanding.
7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
V7 - 8 He takes the scroll and worship begins. They all fall down.
· Harps
· Golden bowls full of Incense (prayers of the saints)
9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
V9 They sang. Only humans (the redeemed sing), angels always “say”.
· - The song honors the price of redemption: for You were slain
· - The song honors the worker of redemption: have redeemed us
· - The song honors the destination of redemption: have redeemed us to God
· - The song honors the payment of redemption: by Your blood
· - The song honors the scope of redemption: every tribe and tongue and people and nation
· - The song honors the length of redemption: have made us kings and priests to our God
· - The song honors the result of redemption: and we shall reign on the earth
· In chapter 4 the song honors creation here Redemption is honored.
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
V11 – 12 the angels praise.
13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
V13 Everythings, every living thing gives praise.
14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.
V14 More worship…you can’t worship then if you won’t worship now.