Revelation 4

Brief Review

The previous sermons and notes can be downloaded from my Google Drive: https://tinyurl.com/y3yaof5m

• Chapter 1: An introduction to Apocalyptic writing and Revelation • Chapter 2 & 3: the Seven Churches, ages, types of churches

1 Sermon “An Apology for my Eschatology” is on this YouTube channel where I outline/defend my personal view of the Rapture (Post tribulation, pre-millennial rapture).

I. An Ascension to the Throne Room of God.

4 After these things I looked, and behold, a door was standing open in heaven. And the first voice, which I had heard speaking with me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”

• The opening and closing words “After these things” (grk. meta tauta), are often debated on the interpretation. Which “things” was John referencing, and which “things” was Yeshua referencing? o If it references chapters 2 & 3, then the 7 churches and the decline or thriving of the church’s spiritual life are the “things.” Ending with the Laodicean church, John now reveals what will happen in a post church-influenced time. • A lot is made about the word “Church” (grk ecclesia) not being used again until Revelation 22. Read into that as you wish – but if the church isn’t on Earth, where is it in heaven? And if the church is in heaven - who are all the saints/bond-servants (grk. doulos) on Earth? • And if you get stuck debating the meaning of Revelation 4:1, then you will miss the point of Revelation 4: The glory of the One seated on the throne of Heaven.

II. A Description of the Throne Room of God

2 Immediately I was in the Ruach; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One seated on the throne.

3 And the One who was seated was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.

4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders dressed in white clothes with golden crowns on their heads.

5 And out from the throne come flashes of lightning and rumblings and clashes of thunder— and seven torches of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal.

• The Central focus (throne and One seated) is not described. o Compare with other descriptions of the Throne from Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1. o In each case the Throne and One seated are left non-descript. Most interpretations believe this is to remove the possibility of making idols. • Stones: Jasper and Carnelian o The last and first stone on High Priest Breastplate (i.e. Benjamin and Reuben). o Carnelian is Red, Jasper comes in a myriad of colors. Traditionally this is translated here as Diamond (completely different word in Greek and Hebrew) or believed to be Green on the priest’s breastplate. • A rainbow around the throne, like an Emerald in appearance o The rainbow is a constant reminder of God’s covenant promise to Noah and mankind. o Both to God and any who approach His throne that He is an omnipotent being who willfully places constraints upon His power by His own promise to not break His word.

• Those around the Throne – Cautiously I believe this to be a representation of Israel and the Church. Who are the 24 elders? The 12 children of Israel and the 12 apostles? Great leaders of the faith? Who knows? Perhaps they are priests and it represents the 24 courses of the priesthood. Aaron and his son’s inheritance was Elohim, not land or cities. • Out of the Throne comes signs of His power, lightning and voices and thunder. Things that drew fear and awe from the people around Sinai in the book of Exodus. And the 7 torches of fire (reference back to Rev. 1:4 and Acts 2:3). The giving of the Law, and the giving of the Holy Spirit. • The Sea– Most commentators believe the laver in the tabernacle and temple is representative of the sea of glass before the throne. In Solomon’s Temple, the bath/laver was so large it was called the Sea or Brazen Sea.

6b In the middle of the throne and around it were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like an ox, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes all around and within. They do not rest day or night, chanting,

“Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh

Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot,

asher haya v’hoveh v’yavo! Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God of Hosts,

who was and who is

and who is to come!”

• The Four Living Creatures: Exodus 25 introduces Cherubim into the Most Holy Place, and in some way we are told that the Tabernacle is meant to resemble the throne of God (Ex. 25:8-9). o Ezekiel 1 and 10 give more detail about these Living Creatures and descriptions of their transport, eyes, and faces. Ezekiel 28 is the prophecy that teaches the fall of satan from being a Cherub. o Eyes – Seeing/blindness is a theme throughout scripture for understanding and recognizing God’s will. These beings who are forever in God’s presence do not rest from praising Him. o Ezekiel teaches that each creature has 4 faces, John is most likely seeing them in a static position with each one representing 1 face forward: *The faces represent either the 4 standards of the Jewish tribes as they arrayed themselves around the Tabernacle (Numbers 2). The tradition of a “mascot” for each tribe comes from Talmud. Judah: Lion, Ephraim: Ox, Reuben: Man, Dan: Eagle. *Or the Gospels: Matthew: Lion (Yeshua is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah), Mark: Ox (Yeshua is the humble servant), Luke: Man (Yeshua is the perfect Man), John: Eagle (Yeshua is the man from heaven). *Or representative of the traits of God’s greatness – Lion is mightiest of the animals, king of the jungle, Ox is the strongest of domesticated animals (meekness), Eagles are the kings of the sky, and Man – wisdom and was purposed to have dominion over all creatures. (Gen 1:26)

• The Psalm of the Living Creatures: There is no such thing as a superlative in Hebrew. Rather Hebrew repeats the word to show it is better than single usage. The Holy of Holies should literally be understood as the Holier place. Holy, Holy, Holy means that is the Holiest of all things. And the words of this chant are direct from the יהוה/Yeshua only definition of His being we are given: He was, He is, He is to come. He is (the same) Yesterday, Today, and Forever!

9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the One seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever.

And they throw their crowns down before the throne, chanting,

11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power, For You created all things,

and because of Your will

they existed and were created!”

• Whenever: Literally – Each time. Based on verse 8 – without rest day or night. And how could we not? The angels know nothing of Salvation – they look on these things in wonder. Comparatively we know very little of the majesty and glory of God, but angels have spent millennia in His presence. We have not yet experienced the fullness of God’s greatness and glory. • The Greek emphasizes their position – falling down before the One. Casting their crowns before Him. o Crown – Stephanous – awarded to a victor in the Olympic games, a crown of victory. • The Psalm of the Elder’s: If we take into account Christology, the elder’s psalm is directed specifically to Yeshua o It is a tricky wording: from whom could God receive glory, honor, and power? But Yeshua set these things aside to become man to bring about our Salvation through His sacrifice, and because of His obedience received them back. Philippians 2:5-11 o It is by Christ that all things were created and through Him all things hold together – Colossians 1:15-21 • The Trinity is present on the Throne of God, this should not surprise us. And breaking the Trinity down to clearly defined concepts/objects is impossible. The comments above should not be interpreted as Yeshua is not God, or for a time was not God – rather as God He also has the power to constrain Himself and He has done so to willingly follow the Father’s plan. Thus, He was able to receive back that which He “emptied Himself” of.

Personal Application Like this chapter – we are in a transition period. We have no idea what is coming and are only given limited sight to the end times. Covid, elections, civil and not-so-civil uprisings, hurricanes and climate change, not to mention the rest of the world’s famines, wars, and troubles – but what must take place after these things? • In every person’s heart there is a throne and that throne cannot be empty. We will fill the seat somehow. John’s vision is a powerful declaration not only of God’s presence, but of His sovereign, rightful reign, and His prerogative to judge.

o You can have confidence in His promises to you- He has willingly constrained Himself to follow. You can KNOW that He will never leave you or forsake you. o You can have confidence in His perception of you. We look at salvation like those still needing to be saved: our black sin covered in red blood cleansing us white and giving us new life(green). I love that in Heaven the colors are reversed. Green life is the predominant shade mentioned and then red. The elders are all covered in White and there is no color for sin at all. ▪ None of us will earn that white robe. And I know I have trouble seeing my life through any lens other than regret and failure. I must continually remind myself that the sin is not covered as if by the blood of bulls and goats – it is gone/erased/washed away by a better sacrifice. We will enter God’s awesome presence not on merit, but on mercy, and one of those amazing promises is that an Omniscient God will remember my sin no more (Jeremiah 31:33) – how can this be? By His will. o You can have confidence in His Will – God’s Will is not a mystery in the Bible. His Will is to bring glory to Himself (Col. 1:16 – all things were made through Him and for Him). ▪ You were created for His glory – Isaiah 43:6-7 ▪ You were chosen for His glory – Eph 1:4-6 ▪ God forgives your sins for His glory – Isaiah 43:25; Psalm 25:11 ▪ God will not cast you away for His glory – 1 Sam 12:20-22 ▪ Yeshua will return for His glory – 2 Thess 1:9-10 Dive deep into these passages and verses. Place yourself in God’s throne and try to imagine what His glory and presence will mean in comparison to this fallen world.

“But it also means that we should plan ahead for that great day. If you and I should walk into some great cathedral where they were singing, and ask to be allowed to sing in the choir, they would ask whether we had ever learnt the tune, and they would not let us join unless we had. Nor can we expect that untrained voices should be admitted into the choirs above. Now, dear brothers and sisters, have you learnt to cast your crowns at the Savior’s feet already?” (Spurgeon)

For further study on God’s Glory – try starting here https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/biblical-texts-to-show-gods-zeal-for-his-own-glory