Revelation chapters 4 and 5
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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.
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!”
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.
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.
And they 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.”
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,
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!”
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,
“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 the elders fell down and worshiped.
HAMILTON - I WANT TO BE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS
THAT MEANS - NOT ONLY DO I WANT TO KNOW ALL OF THE DETAILS, I WANT TO KNOW HOW AND WHY THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE ARE BEING MADE.
IF YOU KNEW THIS INFORMATION IT WOULD CHANGE HOW YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THINGS AND CERTAINLY HOW YOU RESPONDED TO THINGS.
WE OFTEN WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S UP IN THE WORLD? WHT ARE THINGS GOING THE WAY THEY ARE GOING
WHY AM I EXPERIENCING THIS SITUATION OR THAT CIRCUMSTANCE. WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE IN THE ROOM WHERE GOD IS MAKING ALL OF THESE DECISIONS
WELL, REVELATION 4 AND 5 IS THAT ROOM AND NOW, WHEN YOU READ THIS TEXT - YOU ARE LITERALLY IN THE ROOM
TODAY, AS WE CONTINUE OUR SERIES IN REVELATION I WANT TO GIVE YOU THIS TITLE FOR CHAPTERS 4-5
SERMON FOR TODAY
WORSHIP: THE RESPONSE WHEN YOU ARE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT’S HAPPENING
WORSHIP: THE RESPONSE WHEN YOU ARE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT’S HAPPENING
GOD ALLOWS US TO ENTER IN TO SEE THE CONTROL CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.
WE ARE IN THE ROOM WHERE “IT’S” HAPPENING: “IT’S” = EVERY CONCEIVABLE EVENT IN OUR LIVES AND IN THE WORLD: WE SEE WHERE ITS ALL ORIGINATES:
THE LAST DAYS ARE UPON US!
WHAT DID JOHN SEE IN THIS ROOM WHERE EVERYTHING WAS HAPPENING THAT CAUSED HIM TO WORSHIP - NOT BE AFRIAD - BUT TO WORSHIP?
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.
BEFORE HE SHOWS JOHN THE VISION OF WHAT IS TO COME HE GIVES HIM A GLIMPSE INTO THE INNER WORKINGS OF REDEMPTION AND DIVINE ACTIVITY.
GOD SAYS TO JOHN, BEFORE I SHOW YOU WHAT I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU I HAVE TO ALLOW YOU INTO THE ROOM WHERE IT’S HAPPENING BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T SEE THIS ROOM YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND EVERYTHING IN THIS BOOK.
OUR FEAR COMES WHEN WE READ THIS BOOK OUTSIDE OF THE ROOM WHERE EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING
OUR FEAR IN LIFE AND CIRCUMSTANCES COMES WHEN WE FACE THEM OUTSIDE OF THE ROOM WHERE EVERYTHING US HAPPENING
IN ESSENCE HE IS TELLING JOHN:
“DO NOT GO AFTER WHAT IS TO HAPPEN UNTIL YOU SEE AND SPEND TIME WITH THE ONE WHO IS ORCHESTRATING IT ALL.”
I. NOTHING IS MEANINGLESS - GOD THE FATHER IS IN CONTROL
I. NOTHING IS MEANINGLESS - GOD THE FATHER IS IN CONTROL
REPRESNTED BY THE WORD THRONE - 18 TIME - 13TIMES IN CHAPTER 4
WE SEE THE PRAISE OF GOD FOR HIS CONTROL
WE SEE THIS IN SEVERAL WAYS
WE SEE THIS IN SEVERAL WAYS
a. John’s inability to describe Him (v 2-3)
a. John’s inability to describe Him (v 2-3)
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.
“had the apprearance of...
He cannot describe him but uses the best version of what he knew at the time to convey His brilliance and radiance
o In our day: something that was On fleek
o Our, something of a mystical bling-bling
o Something of amazement and wonder such as I feel when I get a Amazon gift card – PURE RADIANCE!!!!!
· John wants us to try our best to visualize what he saw and tried his best to describe in writing.[1]
At the same time, the rainbow around the throne of heaven has become an eternal reminder of God’s covenant promise to humanity.[1]
o It is a sign of God’s mercy as it was in the days of Noah.
o As God will unleash seal after seal in the coming chapters, the rainbow is God’s visible Word of promise to those who trust Jesus.
§ The Word that He would never destroy the earth by way of flood is not restating as His promise to not destroy His people in the unleashing of His wrath upon those who reject Christ
b. The heavenly court that surrounded Him (v4)
b. The heavenly court that surrounded Him (v4)
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.
24 elders: twelve tribes/apostles: SIGNIFYING THE UNITY OF ALL OF GOD’S WORK FROM THE TIME OF THE OLD TO THE END OF TIME
THESE ARE NOT HUMANS BUT SPIRITUAL BEINGS WHO STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD REPRESENTING
THE TOTALITY OF GOD’S FAMILY (OT AND NT SAINTS)
THE MASSES OF THOSE WHO KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
WHITE GARMENTS: PURITY
GOLDEN CROWNS: POWER
c. The reaction of the cosmos
c. The reaction of the cosmos
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,
d. The four living creatures
d. The four living creatures
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.
REPRESENT ALL CREATURES OF THE EARTH - BUT THEY ARE ATTENDANTS TO THE PRESENCE AND RULE OF GOD: READY, ALWAYS, TO DO HIS BIDDING OF JUDGEMENT WHEN IT IS UNLEASHED
THEN JOHN SEES WHAT IS THE CONTINUAL ACTIVITY OF THOSE WHO STAND AND SEE THE PRESENCE OF GOD - THIS IS THE OBNLY RESPONSE:
THEY WORSHIP
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!”
DAY AND NIGHT WITHOUT CEASING
HOLY HOLY HOLY
Can you sense what it is to be in the presence of God’s holiness?
1. Isaiah did when he beheld his vision.
2. Moses did when he beheld the glory of God pass by as he braced himself in the cleft of a rock.
3. Daniel did in his night visions of the Ancient of Days.
4. And so did John as he stood on trembling legs in the doorway of heaven.
TRANSITION
JOHN HAD TO SEE SO HE COULD KNOW WHO WAS IN CONTROL, NOW, YOU AND I ARE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT’S HAPPENING:
SO WE DON’T JUST THINK OR HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL – WE ARE IN THR ROOM WHERE ITS HAPPENING!!!!
It is before the holiness of God that one grasps the true meaning of what it means to be alive – to be human. It is a fearful picture, but its all you want. NOTHING MATTERS IN THE CAPTIVATING BRILLIANCE AND DAZZLING DISPAY OF GOD’S SPLENDOR AND HOLINESS
AS THE 24 ELDER HAD forgotten their supposed dignity and high status. All their being is given over to the worship of their Creator who is worthy of all glory and honor and power.
“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.”
That He created all things means that – past, present and future, are controlled by the Lord: the good, the bad and the ugly
FROM HIS THRONE HE IS CONTROLLING EVERY EVENT IN THE PAST, PRESENT AND THE FUTURE. HIS THRONE IS THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE AND NOTHING TAKES PLACE OUTSIDE OF HIS FULL AND SOVEREIGN CONTROL
WE TEND TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE; WHAT JOHN SEES IN THE ROOM WHERE ITS HAPPENING IS THAT THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON THE LORD WHO IS MAKING HISTORY EVERY MOMENT OF THE DAY.
WE ARE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT COVID, ABOUT OUR JOBS, ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, OUR FUTURE’S AND OUR FAMILY’S FUTURE - JOHN, BEING IN THE ROOM WHERE ALL OF THAT IS CONTROLLED IS REMINDED: FOCUS ON THE LORD WHO CONTROLS EVERYTHING!!!!!
WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS WHEN THEY TAKE OFFICE - JOHN, BEING IN THE ROOM WHERE ITS HAPPENING SEES IN FULL MEASURE WHET THE PROVERB SAYS:
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.
IN THE MIDTS OF THIS CONFUSING WORLD
IN THE MIDST OF YOUR CONFUSING LIFE
IN THE MIDST OUR BATTLES WITH SIN AND SATAN
NOW, BEING IN THE ROOM WHERE ITS HAPPENING - WE ARE TOLD AND REMINDED THAT THE LORD IS IN CONTROL AND WHATEVER COMES TO US AND UPON US - WE NEED NOT FEAR BECAUSE OUR GOD IS IN CONTROL OF IT ALL AND IF HE IS IN CONTROL OF IT ALL - I NEED NOT FEAR
JOHN IS IN THE ROOM WHERE ITS HAPPENING SO HE SEE THAT NOTHING IS RANDOM AND THAT NOTHING IS MEANINGLESS AND THAT NOTHING IS CONTROLLED BY THE DEVIL NOT ALL THINGS ARE CONTROLLED BY THE LORD
· HOW DO YOU KNOW? YOU ARE IN THE ROOM WHERE ITS HAPPENING
See the Lord. See him as the center and YOUR center. Too many people are claiming to be in the throne room looking for, looking at and trusting in other gods.
But looking to other gods cannot lift you above the WEIGHT OF YOUR PROBLEMS to see the WEIGHT OF HIS PROVIDENCE
II. NOTHING WILL HARM YOU - GOD THE SON HAS CONQUERED
II. NOTHING WILL HARM YOU - GOD THE SON HAS CONQUERED
IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE IT IN YOUR LIFE; IT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE IT; BUT IT’S TRUE FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST - NOTHING WILL HARM YOU
NOT SAYING SICKNESS WONT GET YOU
NOT SAYING THAT CALAMITY WONT BEFALL YOU
NOT SAYING THAT MARTYRDOM WONT TAKE YOU OUT
WHAT HE IS SAYING IS THAT NOTHING WILL DISTURB YOUR SALVATION BECAUSE JESUS
IS NOT GOING TO CONQUER
HE HAS CONQUERED
BUT NOT IN THE WAY EVERYONE EXPECTED
JOHN SEES A SCROLL WITH THE SEALS - THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD
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 DIVINE REVERSAL OF THINGS IN YOUR LIFE IS BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE REVERSAL OF WHAT WE EXPECTED TO SEE IN THE ROOM
JESUS GIVEN TWO TITLES:
· ONE OF AUTHORITY LION AND TRIBE OF JUDAH/ROOT OF JESSE
BUT YOU DONT SEE A CONQUERING KING
YOU DON’T SEE A LION
YOU SEE A LAMB
EXPLAIN THIS
· THE WAY THIS KING GETS ALL THINGS DONE?BY THE SLAUGHTERED CHURCH
EXPLAIN THIS
o YOUR SUFFERING FOR THIS KING IS NOT MEANINGLESS
o FOR THIS KING, YOU DON’T NEED TO EARTHLY MIGHT
§ YOU NEED THE SPIRITUAL MIGHT: WEAKNESS
§ 1 COR 1:18FF
§ 1 COR 1:26
· HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT JESUS IS WINNING IN YOUR LIFE?
o ARE YOU SLAUGHTERED?
o ARE YOU BEING BRUISED
o ARE YOU BEING BROKEN?
§ THEN HE IS WORKING – ROM 8:17