Revelation Study 8 The Throne Room of God
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 24 viewsNotes
Transcript
John Receives Another Vision
John Receives Another Vision
Seeing is believing is it not? But very rarely, especially in the realm of faith, are we giving the opportunity to see, that’s why it’s faith.
But, if we take an honest look, if we truly see, what is it we see around us in the world we live in?
Power, control, greed, exploitation, chaos, sinfulness, moral decay, etc. and yet cluelessness, comfort, pleasure, happiness is our pursuits.
But what is really going on? What was going on in John’s day? Power, control, greed, exploitation, chaos, etc. there’s nothing new under the sun.
For the believers they would see this power directed against them, persecuting them, killing them.
That’s the earthly perspective, our faithful witness is getting us killed. In chapter 4 Jesus is going to begin to give John a Heavenly perspective.
Now some historical/cultural context.
Rome had 24 “legal” or sanctioned religions, Christianity and also Judaism not being one of them. The Jews could practice their faith, but Judaism was not a sanctioned religion, backed by Rome.
Each of these religions had a head priest, served as imperial rep. ambassador
Served in public and political office, appearing at imperial events, like when Caesar visited a city.
Wearing white robes and golden crowns with golden sashes around their waste or chest.
The power and might of Rome were everywhere, it’s what a person would no doubt see in the world they lived in with its images everywhere.
Caesars could choose an animal image to represent themselves and their power. Ox and lion were two of Dometians choices to depict himself as well as statues of himself.
The eagle was the image of Rome itself.
We talked about the Caesars choosing local capitals in conquered territories, like Dometian choosing his Neochorus in Ephesus.
the Caesars coming to these capitals would be much anticipated and upon their arrival, the 24 priests of the 24 sanctioned religions would appear also.
Caesars arrival was called “advent”, we’ve heard that word before, Christianity took it from Rome to say their King was coming to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
When Domitian came to Ephesus to claim his capital city, the priests would lead the people in a chorus of praise to Caesar
Dressed in white robes and golden crowns leading the people in song singing “holy holy holy lord god almighty, who was and is and is to come” from Isaiah
John is writing chapter 4 in direct comparison to this, but Caesar is not the object of worship, it is rightfully directed at God.
“I’ve been to the throne room and Domitian is not on the throne, God is.”
Let’s look back at where we left off in John’s previous vision
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
So as John finishes the first vision, he writes the above. We talked about the Angaria in regard to the knock on the door.
John also writes that Jesus offers to the conqueror the promise of sitting with Him on His throne, as He, Jesus, who conquered has sat down with God the Father on God’s throne.
How did Jesus conquer? Death, resurrection, and ascension, a disregard for this life and His own life.
So how are we to conquer?
For the one who conquers Jesus will give to them to sit on the throne with Him, well I wonder what that looks like?
So, now let’s look at chapter 4 of Revelation verses 1-3
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.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 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.
After this, after the first vision, John now looks and sees what?
A door open in heaven. Have we ever seen or heard about an opening in Heaven?
In O.T. an open door to heaven symbolized access to God
Yet he commanded the skies above
and opened the doors of heaven,
or
In the N.T. this is the arrival and initiation of the kingdom and for most, entrance into it.
Jesus’ baptism in
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
or the killing of Stephan in
But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Here it’s an invitation for John to come up and see
But first John hears a voice again, like what?
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.”
A loud voice like a trumpet.
Sound familiar?
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet
That voice belonged to whom? Jesus and it does again.
What does the voice say?
Revelation 4:1c, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
Jesus will show John what must take place after this, what must take place.
This is like Jesus’ crucifixion, Father take this cup from me, but not my will be done but yours.
There was no other way, it must take place that way, and now again, there is no other way.
How does John gain access to this vision? At once I was in the Spirit v2a, its the same as in Revelation 1:10 which we read already. And I’m reminded of Joel 2
“And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
It is by the Spirit, in the Spirit, directed by God, given by God, for the purposes of God.
So what does Jesus show John? Is it what must take place? No, the first thing He shows John is the scene of Heaven
What’s the first thing John sees and tells us? A throne, which is going to be said 13 times in this chapter.
So what does a throne symbolize? A King in his majesty and glory, with all authority, biblically and in ancient times the King was also the Judge, as in the Bema seat or judgement seat.
The throne of God is being contrasted to the throne of Caesar, which was all around them, and also will be contrasted with the throne of the satan in Rev. 12:5
Who is on the throne? One seated on the throne, He who sat there had the appearance ...
John doesn’t tell us who’s on the throne, why would that be? Maybe in his description of what he sees, he expects us to draw the logical conclusion.
The throne is in heaven, so logically it would be God, but John is also going to describe what he sees, and take us back to O.T. throne room scenes.
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. 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. 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, 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: 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. 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!”
Now what did we discover in our readings from Exodus, Ezekiel, and Isaiah?
And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
Lets look at Daniel 7
“As I looked,
thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued
and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.
On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.
And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
What do we see? John’s vision of heaven is using other apocalyptic imagery as well as incorporating cultural images.
Remember, the above passages are apocalyptic literature written during periods of captivity as well, Rome is the modern day Babylon for John.
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.
Now we’ve talked historical cultural context here, but some commentators add that the 24 could be the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 disciples, Jesus did promise them thrones and the right to rule with Him.
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Lastly, the sea represents chaos and turmoil in the scriptures, think of Jesus calming the sea, here under the altar it is completely still, under total control.
Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
have gone over me.
Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves of the sea,
the Lord on high is mighty!
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
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: 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. 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!”
And whenever the 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. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
“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.”
Images—four living creatures, the same as Domitian and Rome
In this vision, even these images are bowing down and worshipping God. Praising Him with the words used for Caesar.
But there’s more
It’s not Caesar who lives forever but our God
It was common to say to Caesar “worthy are you, our lord and God” John uses this and adds to it.
“to receive glory, honor and power, for you created all things, and by you will they existed and were created.” This could not be said of Caesar.
The point here is that God who is at the center of this vision, is at the center of history, and the center of the present and the future.
This world, this vision, is not about Rome, or even the Christians, the focus is and always should be on God and who He is and what He is doing.
Also, God is worthy of all praise and worship, He has all power and authority and as this scene and the rest of Revelation unfolds, we need to remember this as does the original audience.
This is a glimpse into heaven, God is in control, on His throne, and being worshipped by all, as He should.