Revealing RevelationSample

Moving On Up
John had heard about heaven and preached about heaven. But now he is seeing the home of God and the glorious One sitting on His throne.

“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 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” (Rev. 4:2–3).

John saw heaven in brilliant colors. The Father was not alone in the room. He had an extensive entourage sitting with Him. Seven lamps burned, representing the seven Spirits of God. The seven Spirits that John describes represent the Holy Spirit. The number seven throughout the book communicated completeness or perfection, so in the throne of God, the fullness of the Holy Spirit is evident.

“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 fold on their heads. From the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God” (Rev. 4:4–5).

Also, before the throne spread a sea of glass clear as crystal, and surrounding it were four very strange-looking creatures (Rev. 4:6–8). There are many interpretations of what these creatures represent as explained by the author:

1. The attributes of God
2. The four Gospels
3. The twelve tribes of Israel
4. A special group of angels, a theory supported and chosen by the author

The second part of the heavenly praise of Revelation is spoken by the twenty-four elders:

“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” (Rev. 4:11).

The Worthy Lamb
As the beautiful sounds of worship dissolved, John turned his attention to the One sitting on the thrown holding a scroll closed with seven seals in his right hand. A voice called, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” John wept at the unworthiness of the Lord’s creation, but one of the elders said, “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” (Rev. 5:5).

“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. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne” (Rev. 5:6–7).

Just when it seemed the worship couldn’t get any better, the Guest of Honor arrived—the Lion of Judah who is also the Lamb that was slain. The wondrousness of seeing the Son who has the Holy Spirit resting on Him receiving the scroll from the hand of the Father dropped creatures and elders alike to the ground. Worship burst forth. What began with the creatures and elders expanded to “many angels,” which became “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands and thousands” (Rev. 5:11).

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev. 5:12).

This led to the ultimate crescendo that included “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” (Rev. 5:13).