“Heaven”
Around God’s Throne
Future Events, Part 8 – Revelation Ch. 4&5: God’s Dwelling Place
By Pastor Dan Kennedy
© March 27, 2011
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There is a lot of interest in heaven.
• What is it like?
• Who is there?
• Will I be there?
• How do I get there?
Several books written on heaven in the past few years – among them are the following: In 2004 Randy Alcorn published the book, Heaven, from a theological perspective of this eternal subject of intense interest. That same year, Don Piper wrote 90 Minutes in Heaven, about a horrendous accident in his life, and what he recalled from that experience.
Another more recent book about heaven – Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo, written in November 2010, has recently captured the attention of the American public, the media and the NY Times bestseller list. It is about Colton Burpo, the son of the author, who at four-years-old (he is now eleven) told his folks of a heavenly experience while undergoing a life-threatening operation.
We cannot be assured of the accuracy of individual experiences, but we can be assured of Scriptural accounts!
Practically and theologically there are three aspects of heaven:
1. There is the atmospheric heaven above us extending up for some six miles in which God created oxygen, clouds, wind, rain, snow, sleet, lightening and hail, etc. We often call this the “sky”.
2. The celestial heavens are above the atmosphere, which includes the sun, moon and stars, and the universe beyond.
3. Then the Scripture speaks of a place called “heaven,” being the dwelling place of God. Check out some of the verses below!
Deut. 26:15 Zech. 2:13; Isa. 63:15. 1 Kings 8:30 vs. 39,43,49; 2 Chr. 6:18, 21, 27, 30, 33, 35, 39; Jer. 23:24. 1 Chr. 16:31; 1 Chr. 21:26 2 Chr. 7:14; Neh. 9:27. 2 Chr. 2:6; 2 Chr. 30:27; Job 22:12, 14; Psa. 2:4; Psa. 11:4; Psa. 20:6; Psa. 33:13; Psa. 102:19; Psa. 103:19 Psa. 135:6; Dan. 4:35. Psa. 113:5; Psa. 123:1; Eccl. 5:2; Isa. 57:15; Isa. 63:15; Isa. 66:1; Lam. 3:41, 50; Dan. 5:23; Matt. 5:34, 45; Matt. 6:9 Matt. 18:10, 14; Mark 11:25, 26. Matt. 10:32, 33; Matt. 11:25; Matt. 12:50; Matt. 16:17; Mark 16:19; Acts 7:49; Rom. 1:18; Heb. 8:1; Rev. 8:1; Rev. 12:7–9; Rev. 21:22–27; Rev. 22:1-5
It seems we have a continuing and growing interest in what is going to happen to our spirit in the future, after we die, and in particular, what heaven is going to be like.
Human perspectives can often be questionable, but in one of the most intriguing, sound, and enlightening Scriptural passages, found in Revelation chapters 4 and 5, we are given John’s eyewitness account of the dwelling place of God – in His heaven. It is this passage that is the focus of our attention today.
We have begun the study of Revelation with two aspects - not necessarily revelations of future events, but instead:
1. Revelations of Christ’s messages to the Church – who we are to God in our Relationship with Christ.
2. Our understanding of who God is… This passage shows us a glimpse of the awesomeness of His Dwelling Place - A revelation of God and His Throne room.
When we see the condition of our hearts and Christ’s expectations of us, and compare who we are to Who God Is and where He Dwells, then we can more adequately comprehend what God is about to do on the earth in His Revelation of End Time events.
Today we are looking at John’s account of what he witnessed around the Throne of God.
The “Vantage Point Perspective” of the setting of the Book of Revelation
John’s view comes from being transported from an earthly setting, to a heavenly setting. (God’s perspective is not always a clear observation point, for humans, when they read the book of Revelation!)
“Come Up Here” – A Vision of Heaven and the Future
Revelation 4After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian.
(Jasper, as we know it, is an opaque but colorized form of silica gemstone, which can be red, brown, green or yellow – the mention of “carnelian” gives the hint of the color being brownish-red.)
A rainbow, resembling an emerald encircled the throne.
(emerald color: yellow-green to blue-green, with an emphasis on “green”),
Twenty-Four Other Thrones with Elders on them
4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.
There were Flashes of Lightening, Rumblings and Peals of Thunder
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.
Seven Lamps Blazing, before The Throne – Seven Spirits of God
Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
(Are these seven lamps similar to the seven-branched lamp stand fashioned for the Tabernacle? One, yet seven? Exodus 25:31-40)
Isaiah 11:2
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord—
A Sea of Glass – Crystal Clear
6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
This “sea of glass, clear as crystal” has interesting characteristics. When John observed heaven there was great worship of God all around him and things seemed to be tranquil on this sea, but we will see from other passages that this is not always true.
It seems this “sea of glass” takes on the characteristics of God’s attitude!
In the seven last plagues showing the wrath of God, this sea of glass, before God’s Throne, was mixed with fire.
Revelation 15:1-2
I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name.
When the Ancient of Days takes His seat (in the judgment of the antichrist/beast), God’s Throne is flaming with fire, the wheels of the cherubim around His Throne is all ablaze, and a river of fire is flowing out from before Him.
Daniel 7:9–10
9 “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
Cherubim around the Throne: Four Living Creatures – Covered in Eyes. Faces of a Lion, Ox, Man and Eagle, each with Six Wings
Rev. 4:6b-11
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come.”
Response of the twenty-four Elders to the Call to Worship
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Why did God take John to Heaven to show him future events? Why didn’t God just tell him what was going to happen when he was here on earth?
Among many reasons known only to God, here are some reasons why I believe God brought the Apostle John to heaven.
1. God wants to give us a glimpse of the reality of His Awesomeness.
2. God wants to let us know of His Holiness.
3. God wants us to understand the just judgment due the gross wickedness on the earth.
4. God wants us to realize how much He loved us in the price He paid for our Redemption.
5. God wants us to know that the extreme judgment on the earth is not given without the opportunity for repentance, and could only be authorized because of the extreme sacrifice for justice that He had already paid.
The Scroll and the Lamb
Revelation 5Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
The Song of Worship to Jesus Christ – God the Son, as the Lamb of God, together with the Worship of God the Father
8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals, because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they sang:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Conclusion
In Revelation 4 & 5, God takes us out of our familiar earthly comfort zone and transports us to His Dwelling Place to give us a view of the future.
•God shows us who He IS and gives us a brief glimpse of awesome, unparalleled worship around His Throne.
•He reveals who all of heaven worships and who we should worship – Both God the Father, and Jesus Christ, the Son!
•God gives us the revelation of Jesus Christ, as the Lamb of God, who provided Salvation and Redemption through His Blood, to purchase mankind’s souls for God from every tribe, language, people and nation.
•He reveals the Lamb of God, who is worthy to have the supreme Judicial authority to bring true Justice and judgment on the world.
•God reveals His plan for His Children to be a kingdom of priest serving Him and reigning with Christ from His Heavenly City on earth for eternity.
•And God gives us His perspective for our human understanding to clearly view “end time” events, which He is about to reveal to us.