We'll show you things which must take place after this. Immediately, I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne sat 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. From the throne there 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.
And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 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. 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. And 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.
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 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, 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. Let's pray.
Father, we read these words, nearly holding our breath with the majesty and the awe that they bring to our minds. This evening, as we begin to probe these words to grasp from them the meaning, would you by your spirit be our teacher and show us the things of Christ that are here. We pray this in his lovely and eternal name. Amen. Several times we see the word heaven in these two chapters that describe the vision of John.
Heaven singular is used almost exclusively by John rather than the plural heavens. In fact, in this book, fifty-one times he uses the word heaven compared to one time when he uses the word heavens. The meaning of the word heaven in John's writings depends upon the context. It can be used of God's dwelling place as here, or as in chapter three in verse twelve.
The word heaven can be used by John as the heaven that will be destroyed and replaced by the new heaven and the new earth, chapter twenty-one verse one, which has some far greater meaning than the sky heaven, but is certainly something short of God's dwelling place. It is the starry heavens as we see them. The word heaven is also used of the place of conflict with Satan, chapter twelve and verse seven. Satan is cast out of heaven at that point onto the earth.
Though we'll study it when we get there, it seems to have relation to what is called by Paul in the book of Ephesians, the heavenlies. And then John does use the word heaven in reference to the sky heavens, chapter six and verse thirteen. But as I say clearly in chapter four, and then also into chapter five as the vision continues, John is using the term of God's dwelling place. We have spent three weeks studying the letters in chapters two and three to the seven churches of Asia Minor.
I think it is worthy of note that the word church now disappears from John's book. Nineteen times it has been used in the first three chapters, but it's not found again once in the rest of the book. And I believe that there is a reason for that, and the reason is that the church leaves the earth before the events that begin now to unfold take place. Indeed, the experience that we're going to see that John had portends the experience the church will have in the rapture.
Acknowledgedly, it's not a direct parallel, but what happened to John will in a certain sense also happen to the church. Well, I think you received an outline coming in tonight that looks something like this. After these things, John saw heavenly sights. You notice he says, after these things I looked and behold a door standing in heaven. So John now begins to tell us what he saw in heaven. In chapter four, we see that he saw a door, a throne, 24 elders, and four living creatures.
Now this evening and the rest of our time, we want to take a look at those things that John saw. The first thing that John saw was a door in heaven, described in verses one and the first part of verse two. When did he see this door? Well, John says it was after these things. What is he talking about? Well, in the context of the book, it's after the things that he's written about, chapters two and three. After these things, the things which are said earlier in the book to be the things which are.
Turn back to chapter one, verse 19 for a moment and look at what we believe is a Spirit-inspired outline of the book of the Revelation. To John, Jesus says in verse 19 of chapter one, write the things which you have seen, as chapter one, the vision that John had of Jesus on the Isle of Patmos. And secondly, write the things which are, the letters to the churches, chapters two and three.
And as we suggested in our rather brief study of those seven letters, they form something of an overview of this whole age in which we're now living, the progression of it. Those seven churches likewise give us characteristics of local churches throughout this age. We could see Grace Church Roseville, bits and pieces of it in probably all of those letters. And so the chapters two and three form that part of the book of the Revelation in which Jesus said to John, write the things which are.
The number three, he says, write the things which will take place after these things or after this. And so Jesus tells John, there's going to be something said to you, revealed to you, which will encompass what will take place after the things which are, this period of the church. And so now as we come to chapter four, John seems to divide the book just this way. It's not divided evenly by any means.
The first section is chapter one, the second section is chapters two and three, the third section is the rest of the book, beginning with chapter four. And he says, after these things, the very same phrase that was used by Jesus in chapter one and verse 19, after these things I looked and behold a door open in heaven. Now what did John hear? Well he heard a voice, like a trumpet speaking to him.
This is the very same voice that he described in chapter one and verse 10 with the same language and there as here it is the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the same voice, I believe, that Paul describes to us in 1 Thessalonians 4 when he says that the Lord will come and when he comes he will shout with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God. The language that Paul uses in that text describes the majesty and the authority of the voice and what would be said.
The Lord will come with a shout and he says the dead in Christ shall rise first then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. John hears the same voice and he describes the voice here as that of a trumpet, that is it has clarity as of a trumpet. The authority, the power of the voice is what is in mind here and what does he say? He says to John come up here, come up here. I wonder if that is what Jesus is going to say at the rapture.
Is that what we are going to hear? Come up here. I don't know. But certainly that was the word of Jesus to John on the Isle of Patmos. John was there on the island and Jesus says come up here, up into heaven. He says I will show you things, notice, which must take place after these things. So again there is that phrase. That is after the church age. John I am going to show you what is going to come when the church is no longer on the earth.
I am going to show you what is coming after these things having to do with the churches. Notice he says things which must take place after this. It is not merely that he is going to show John things that will take place and therefore they should be interesting to him. He is going to show John things that must take place because these things are the outworking of God's divine will. John is about to see a part of the future unfold and he is going to see it unfold from the divine perspective.
He is going to see it unfold from the throne room of God. We ask the question how? John says immediately I was in the spirit. It is suddenly all at once, zap, or we might say in the twinkling of an eye. It is the same thought as Paul used regarding the rapture. When we hear the Lord's voice, when that trumpet sounds at the end of this age and the church is caught up, we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. A bit of time that is impossible really to measure.
Instantly, suddenly, and John uses the same kind of language here as describing his experience. In just a moment he was in the spirit. We are not exactly sure what that means in the spirit. John didn't receive his glorified body then as we shall in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. John seems to be describing here his state, perhaps his mode of divine transportation.
In some miraculous way, even like Elijah and the chariot of fire and the horses of fire, in some miraculous way John was literally caught up and taken through that door into heaven. John did not see the door open, it was already open there in heaven. Some people say that is the same door that is open all the time, and through which believers pass when they leave this earth. I can't argue with that at all and I wouldn't argue with it. What kind of a door it was?
Well I am not sure whether it was a door like on your house or my house. The point is that there was an entrance into heaven, an entrance into heaven. John saw into another dimension as he looked through that door. There was another whole sphere of reality that John had never seen, but he was given to see that door that was open and Jesus said come up here. Now, this is speculation, but it may be that that door, if we had eyes to see it, we could see it tonight.
It may be that if that door were visible to us, that if we could see it, the door would be there in another invisible realm to our physical eyes. Because this is not a door that God especially opened for John, it was already standing open when he looked.
And it may be that when a believer departs from his body in death to go to be with Christ, that those angels who have been assigned to him, as I believe is the case, as his guardian angels, as we often speak of them, that they escort his spirit through that door into the next realm, which is not some billions and billions of miles into the universe, but which is rather another realm that is right there, but we can't see it. But it's up because Jesus said to John, come up here.
And so there was that door in heaven. The next thing that John says he saw is a throne in heaven. Verses two and three, and then again verses five and six. And we ask the question, who does John see on that throne? He says there was one sitting on the throne. By the way, when we think of the throne of God, we need to recognize that it is a throne of universal sovereignty. It has absolutely no limitations whatsoever. God is sovereign over all. He is the Almighty, as we've read.
John uses the word throne in the book of Revelation some 47 times. It's only used 15 times in the rest of the New Testament. So you get the idea he's emphasizing that this book is about God's sovereign control of all things, including human history. The throne of God is the center, the pivot, of the whole rest of this book. Now John sees one who is sitting on the throne. He doesn't say particularly that there is a person distinguishable, but there on the throne he sees this brilliance.
There is a splendor of color which he describes to us. Now John lacked scientific terminology to give us the exact identification of these things as we might understand them today. But he uses the word jasper to describe the brilliance in part. The best understanding of this seems to be that of a diamond sparkling. Clear as crystal is the way it's described in chapter 21 verse 11. The jasper is said there to be as clear as crystal.
And so we think of the clarity, the sparkling quality of a diamond. And it suggests to us the purity and the holiness of the one who is there. And then John uses the term like a sardius stone. Some have suggested this is a carnelian, others a ruby. The point seems to be that it is a fiery red color. The sardius stone by the way was named for sardius, one of the churches that we've studied about or the city of the church. And red seems to be the color of judgment.
And so we have one who is on the throne and the brilliance that is exuding from his person is that of sparkling diamonds and brilliant red. And symbolically it means that he is the one who is holy and he is the one who possesses the power of all judgment. Now what does John see here around the throne? Well he sees a rainbow. It's not your kind of rainbow or mine that we're used to. This is a rainbow of solid color. It's said to be emerald in color.
And the language at least suggests that instead of a half circle as we're used to with the rainbow that what we have here is a complete rainbow. If that is the case then the circle would represent the eternal life of the one over whom it rests, that one on the throne. It is a green circle representing eternal life. And it may be that that circle instead of being this way is this way around the throne. And then John says that he saw lightning and thunder.
Now when you and I see that we know there's a storm brewing. When we see lightning and thunder we know that it's time to pack up and go in the house. John sees coming from the throne lightning and thunder and it's continuous. It's just a constant rumble. And it seems to suggest the severity of the judgment that is about to be poured out and the finality of this judgment that God is going to meet out to those who dwell upon the earth. And John says I heard voices.
And he says before the throne were seven lamps which symbolize it seems the fullness of the Holy Spirit in his ministry in the church. Where did we last see these lamps? Does anybody remember? They were on the Isle of Patmos weren't they? And Jesus was standing in the midst of them. Notice the lamps are not there anymore, they're in heaven.
Which I think is another subtle indication that these lamps representing the ministry of the Holy Spirit in those seven local churches have now been moved to heaven suggesting the church has been moved to heaven in the rapture. John sees those lamps burning brightly before the throne of God. And then he says he saw a sea of glass. A sea of glass. John was used to looking at the sea. Those were his prison bars. He had been taken to the Isle of Patmos and there he had been left.
The sea was his prison wall. He could not escape from the island. But here is not a sea of water, it's a sea of glass. Now we need to remember that modern glass was not present in the first century. But this glass is nonetheless said to be like crystal. And so we understand it to be sparkling and clear. Some suggest that this sea that is before the throne of God is like that sea, as it's called, of cast metal, or that laver of cast metal that was before the temple of God in the Old Testament.
You can read about it in the Second Chronicles chapter 4. But there it was a large sea, actually it's called, but a laver, a large container for water. And it was set upon lions and so on, or bulls rather, and the water then came out to individual lavers where the priests could wash themselves and cleanse themselves for their priestly duty. Some have suggested that there's some kind of relation here with this sea before the throne of God.
But I think that it's easier to see this sea, S-E-A, as representing the separation that is between a holy God and the rest of his creation. There's a vast distance, it seems, between John and the throne, a sea of glass representing the holiness, the separateness of God. And yet, it seems to be a solid sea upon which John can walk. And so although there is separation from the throne, there is nonetheless accessibility to the throne.
These are amazing sights that John saw, and undoubtedly John sought words in his vocabulary as he tried to explain what he saw. Then John saw 24 elders in heaven. We read about them first in verse 4. "'Around the throne were 24 thrones, and on them I saw 24 elders.' And then he mentions them again in verses 10 and 11. And of course the question that comes to mind is, who are these 24 elders said to be there?
Well, there are actually more than a dozen different explanations by Bible commentators as to the identity of 24 elders. It is difficult to pin this down, certainly, as to who they represent. But it seems to me that the best understanding of them, and it's not without problems, I acknowledge, but the best understanding of them, I think, is that they represent the glorified church. You say, why are there 24? Well, I'm not real sure.
But I do know this, that the church is called to be a holy priesthood unto God. We're all priests. And on this earth we have priestly duty. We're not only a holy priesthood, we are a royal priesthood, says Peter. That is, we are reigning priests. We are royalty. And here you see a suggestion of the same mix. You may recall that in the Old Testament the priesthood was divided into 24 courses, or groups of priests. And there was a leader over each one of these 24 courses of priests.
So that when the 24 of them met together, they represented the entire priesthood. It seems to me that what we have here is like that representative group. It's as though the church also is divided into 24 courses of priests. And what John seems to see here symbolically is a representation of the whole priesthood that the church is, this holy and royal priesthood. Now what does John see the elders doing? Well, he says they're sitting. They're sitting. That means they're enthroned.
They're sitting on their thrones. They are reigning with Christ. He sees them clothed in what he describes as white remit. Fence of brilliant white representing the righteousness of the saints in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he sees these 24 elders at a given point fall down in worship. Verse 10 says, the 24 elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. And he says they cast down their throne, their crowns rather, before the throne.
And so we see them in submission to the one who sits on the throne and worshiping him with what is sometimes called the song of creation. In verse 11, you are worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things. Not only did God create them, but he sustains them. He says, and by your will they exist and were created. And so there is this song of creation, the song worshiping the creator who sits upon the throne.
Leon Morris in his book writes, John's readers lived in a world as we do where evil was rampant and apparently all powerful. Do you ever feel like that evil is more powerful than good? At least that it's growing that way? We hear so much about the evil in our society and the evil in the world when you hear about things like happening in Croatia. Do you ever have the feeling that evil is winning? Well, we're tempted to think that way.
He goes on to write, goodness was weak and frustrated and ineffectual, but John's very first vision of heaven shows that these appearances are deceptive. God is holy. The word means primarily separate, that is holy, and this separateness includes complete purity. Our God is good and he is the Lord God Almighty. Evil power is not with evil, but with God who is holy. Nor is this a passing phase. God is he who was and is and is to come.
God's power and eternal being ensure that his holiness will triumph over all evil. We must not allow ourselves to accept the perception that evil wins. Evil may be victorious in a skirmish here or there, and for a period of time, short or long, but in the end, evil doesn't win. God wins. God is holy. God is on the throne, and I believe that that is truly why John was caught up to see this vision. He needed to know, like you and I need to know, that in the end, God is on the throne.
God is on the throne. Well, John sees one other site that he describes to us, which are called the four living creatures. They are described really in some detail in verses 6-9. All of our questions aren't answered to be sure. In fact, what we read about them only stimulates our questions. John says about them, first of all, that they were full of eyes. Did your mother have eyes in the back of her head like mine did? Well, literally, these creatures do. They're all seeing.
The eyes seem to speak of their intelligence. Now, they are not God. They are not God. God sits on the throne. These are creatures. He created them, but He created them to see everything. He created them with great intelligence. Each of them is distinct. He says that one of them looked like a lion. Another looked like a calf. Another like a man. And another like an eagle. Let's talk about those things. A lion. What is the meaning of this creature before the throne of God that looks like a lion?
Well, a lion represents that which is majestic, that which is strong. It represents the strength and the majesty of God. A calf is that which serves. It's like an oxen. There is endurance that is there. Jesus Christ is the servant as well as the king. A man, man is the most intelligent of God's creatures. And so in the one who looks like a man we see intelligence, and we're reminded that Jesus Christ is the Son of Man. Then the eagle, the eagle which is known for its swiftness.
Jesus Christ is represented in the eagle as the Son of God who swiftly comes to rescue those whom he loves. Some have pointed to the parallel here in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Matthew who presents him as the king. Mark who represents him as the servant of the Lord. Luke who represents him as the Son of Man and John who presents him as the Son of God. There's another interesting parallel with the camp of Israel in the wilderness.
Do you remember that God arranged for the Israelites to put themselves around the tabernacle in a certain fashion and he told every tribe exactly where it was to be. To the east, nearest the tabernacle was the tribe of Judah. And interestingly Judah had a banner as did all of the tribes and on that banner was the picture of a lion. To the west was the tribe of Ephraim. The banner of Ephraim had on it an ox. To the south was the tribe of Reuben. On its banner a man.
And to the north the tribe of Dan on its banner an eagle. So again we see an interesting parallel. For these are four creatures not around an earthly tabernacle but around the very throne of God. And then it's likewise been pointed out that these four creatures represent the four aspects of all of creation with whom God has made a covenant in Genesis chapter 9 verse 10 where God makes his covenant with man, with fowl, with cattle, and with beasts representing all of creation.
And so we see around the throne the four creatures, the four living creatures as they're described, and we see the 24 elders around the throne representing I believe the church, the redeemed. And these all fall down before the throne of God proclaiming his praise in worship. Again Leon Morris applies some of this in saying, in view of the troubled state of the little church, this is a noteworthy affirmation in the first heavenly vision. God has not abandoned the world and it is indeed his world.
He made all things and made them for his own purpose. John's readers must not think that evil is in control. Evil is real but the divine purpose still stands. Now the vision goes on and we shall go on with that in a couple of weeks as we go into chapter 5. But we see in chapter 4 what is called the song of redemption. The four living creatures cry out before God, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. And then we have the song of creation delivered by the 24 elders.
God like for us to do some singing ourselves tonight. For this reason, what is it that takes place in heaven which we can experience now? What is it? Worship. Worship is the central function in heaven before God. To bring praise and glory and honor to him who sits on his eternal throne, this glorious majestic creator. I'd like for us to sing first a verse of 262. And I'd like for us to sing the second verse of this hymn, holy, holy, holy.
Would you stand please and turn in your hymnal as we sing together the verse, second verse of 262. Verse 2. Holy, holy, holy, all the saints adore thee. Casting down their golden crowns around the world, Cheremim and Seraphim falling down before thee. Each word and arm and evermore shall be. You can see the words are based upon that vision that John had in chapter 4. Let's turn now to hymn 73. More of a chorus than a hymn. One that we're used to singing, thou art worthy, O Lord, thou art worthy.
For thou has created all things. Let's sing it together. Thou art worthy, thou art worthy, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, glory and honor, glory and honor. Thou art created as all things created, thou has created all things. And for thy pleasure they are created, thou art worthy, O Lord. Let's pray together. Lord, these words we have sung in tunes that fit our ears are for the earth, but we can only begin to imagine how beautiful must be these words in the tunes of heaven.
And we anticipate that day when we will be there and a part of this scene represented by the 24 elders. When we join with the four living creatures whom we shall see also before your throne, we join with them in praising you for your holiness, your eternity, your all-mightiness. And we praise you for your power revealed in creation. Father, we live in a world that is somewhat like John's was 2,000 years ago. It is under the domination of the usurper Satan.
And this prince of evil, this master of darkness and wickedness has charted a course for the age and the unregenerate are following along, mostly ignorant of the one they follow, not realizing the deception in which they've fallen.
Thank you for redeeming us from that, for we once walked among them, we too were dead in trespasses and sins, but you in your great love, wherewith you've loved us, caused us to be raised from that death and to be exalted and to be seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly places. We worship you. Find us as we live though in this world, that you are still on the throne. And though evil may win the day, it will not win in the end, because you reign in your holiness.
There are some of us who are perplexed about the direction of things in this country and we hear of things that the new administration is planning. Father, I thank you that behind all of that, you are on the throne and that your purposes are going to be fulfilled. We hear about the difficulty of finding a way for peace in various parts of the world. It is difficult for us to see the suffering of those whom we call innocent.
And yet, Father, behind all of that suffering, you are on the throne and your purposes are going to be realized. You do not delight in the evil of men. Indeed, you will one day judge. May we walk as holy people, as priests unto God. May we keep ourselves unspotted from the world. May we be ready to hear the voice of the Lord Jesus to us as it came to John, come up here.
Come Lord Jesus, we pray, and bring to an end this day of man, and bring in the day of the Lord, and establish your kingdom upon the earth. We pray as you taught us to pray, Lord Jesus, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen. Good night.