Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION:
A. I
like things that are guaranteed. If I purchase an item I like a guarantee that
it is going to function as it should. If I pay someone to do work I like a guarantee that their
work is going to be satisfactory. Do you know that there is a book in the Bible that
comes with a guarantee? Look at Revelation 22:7, “Blessed is he who heeds the
words of the prophecy of this book.”
B. The Book of Revelation is the most unusual book in the New Testament. We read
about beasts, bowls of wrath, a dragon, a pregnant woman, horses of different colors
and many other images that seem strange to us.
1. The confusion about the book has been compounded by many individuals through
the years who have imposed their pre-conceived ideas regarding the end of time
and the second coming of Christ on the text rather than adhering to the most basic
principle of interpreting Scripture.
2. The most basic principle of Biblical interpretation is to read the text in light of its
literary and historical context.
a. Literary context concerns the genre or type of writing. When you read a book you
understand there are differences between books that are biographical, historical,
poetic or prophetic. The Bible is no different.
b. Historical context refers to the events and situations that existed at the time of
the writing. What was taking place that prompted the Holy Spirit to inspire the
writer to address his audience. What is the backdrop behind the text? Remember
that the Bible was written to people who lived in places and times and cultures
that were very different us. The dynamic nature of the Bible is that its message
transcends all of these things. However, we must understand some things about
them.
C. What is the backdrop of the book of Revelation?
1. Chapter 1 tells us that John the apostle, while in exile on the island of Patmos,
received a series of visions which He is instructed to put in a book and send to
seven churches located in Asia Minor. These were the churches in Ephesus,
Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
2. These churches existed amidst a sea of paganism and persecution. The Roman
emperor Diocletian was worshipped as a God. Those who did not confess
Caesar as Lord were subject to losing their livelihood, their possessions and their
lives.
D. Following these letters John records a vision he receives that is critically
important. We want to look at the part of this vision that is recorded in chapter 4.
I. INVITATION
A. This chapter begins with several invitations.
1. In verse 1 John said, “I looked and behold.” The word “behold” is an invitation.
John wants his readers to look and see what he saw. Have you ever seen
something so amazing or beautiful that you thought, “I wish my spouse, parent,
child, friend, etc. could see this?” John is inviting his readers to see in their minds
what he is about to describe.
2. John saw a door open into heaven. We sometimes think of heaven as “far
removed” from us. For John, the view of heaven was the matter of a door
opening between the physical and spiritual realm.
B. Accompanying this vision of an open door into heaven John heard a voice like the
sound of a trumpet. Whenever you read that phrase in Revelation it means the
voice of authority. Whose authority? Jesus said, “All authority has been given to me
in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18-20).
1. What Jesus said is extremely important. “Come up here.”
2. Our God welcomes us into His presence. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said, “Come
unto me.” Later, in Revelation 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And
let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the
one who wishes take the water of life without cost.”
3. I am so thankful that we serve a God who invites us to, “come.”
4. All of us are given the opportunity to see what John saw in this vision. Jesus
said, “I will show you what must take place after these things.” Some people want
to say that these words of Jesus indicate that everything from this point forward
in Revelation is in the future. May I encourage us to keep in mind who the letter
was originally addressed to and why it was sent.
II. INSIGHT
A. In verse 2 John sees beyond the physical realm into the spiritual realm. It is as if a
veil is lifted or a curtain opened.
1. He saw a throne in heaven.
2. A throne represented the seat of authority. For us, thrones are relics of history,
symbols of tradition or objects in fairy tales. In the mind of first century readers
the throne was crucial. Each of these churches lived every day under the throne
of the emperor.
3. The throne in heaven reveals there is a greater authority than the earthly
authority. This is why early disciples said, “We must obey God rather than man”
(Acts 5:29).
4. The idea of thrones is quite threatening to us unless we are the one sitting upon
it. We do not like abdicating the throne of life to allow another to be seated.
B. Seeing the throne, John then turns his attention in verse 3, to describing the one
who sat upon it. These six descriptions provide us with a powerful description of
God.
1. He was, “like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance.” John was trying to
convey to his readers how pure, brilliant and radiant the one sitting on the throne
is. Can you imagine the most brilliant diamond you have ever seen? Multiply its
brilliance a multitude of times. We sing, “You are beautiful beyond description.”
This is what John is describing.
2. The throne was encircled by a rainbow like an emerald. The rainbow represented
faithfulness from the days of Noah. The throne of God is surrounded by
faithfulness.
3. Verse 4 says that around the throne were twenty four other thrones upon which
sat twenty-four elders clothed in white garments and wearing golden crowns.
4. From the throne came flashes of lightning and sounds of thunder according to
verse 5.
5. Before the throne were seven lamps of fire which are the seven spirits of God.
6. Verse 6 says that before the throne there was something like a sea of glass like
crystal.
III. INSPIRATION
A. There was much more to this heavenly scene than the things John has recorded
thus far. What John saw was awe-inspiring.
1. As verse 6 continued John said that in the center and around the throne
were, “four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.”
2. Each of these creatures was different.
a. The first one was like a lion – representing wild animals.
b. The second was like a calf – representing domesticated animals.
c. The third had the face of a man.
d. The fourth had the appearance of a flying eagle – representing fowl.
3. These creatures were described as having six wings and eyes all around.
Together these creatures represent all of creation.
B. We may have difficulty envisioning these four creatures but we can certainly
understand the inspiring scene described in verse 8. Day and night they cry out,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to
come.” This is very similar to the scene Isaiah witnessed in the temple according to
Isaiah 6.
C. When these creatures honor God with their praises, the twenty-four elders bow
before the throne and cast their crowns before the throne saying, “Worthy are You,
our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all
things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
CONCLUSION:
A. God is worthy of our praise. Worship should be about God, not about us.
1. We should be filled with awe and wonder.
2. We should be lost in praise.
3. We should be focused on the object of our worship.
B. This was a needed message at the end of the first century. It is a needed message at
the beginning of the twenty-first century.
C. Today, will you join this heavenly host in praise and worship to your creator? May we
encourage you as we sing?
