The Book of the REVELATION
CHAPTER
4
4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was
opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet
talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which
must be hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and,
behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And
he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a
rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
D. The Things Which Will
Take Place After These Things (The Tribulation Period)
1. The Throne in Heaven
THINGS HEREAFTER
(The Rapture)
Remember
we said in chapter 1 that:
Rev
chapter 1 represents the things which were (John saw a glorified Christ)
Rev chap 2 & 3 represents the things which are (the
present, church age)
Rev chap 4 and further represents the things which shall
be hereafter
Last of the church is seen in Rev chapters 2 & 3
until the marriage supper of Rev 19
In
the Greek (ekklesia) -means church
ek (out of) & kaleo (to call)
The
church will be Called out like Enoch “Enoch was not for God took him”
Before
the tribulation, the born again, both dead & alive, will be lifted out
of this earth
THE
CALL UP
After
this - After what ?? The Church age completed in chapter 3
I looked -
The eye gate
behold -
to fix your eyes upon
a door opened -
Jesus is the door John 10:9
I heard - The ear gate
voice of trumpet
Rev 1:10 Christ(I Thes 4:14-18 & I Cor 15:51,52 John 14:1-6)
come up hither-
invitation (robe of flesh I’ll
drop & rise to seize the everlasting prize.)
must be hereafter -ETERNITY
in the Spirit - immediately changed
THE THRONE
One on the throne The
throne is not empty
Jasper -Stone
of Tribe of Benjamin (son of my right hand)
Ex
28:17-20 clear stone
(last stone on priest breastplate) represents everlastingness of God
(last stone but the first mentioned) the last shall be
first (purity)
He is righteous in all and He is
the Merciful High Priest
Sardine -Stone
of tribe of Reuben Ex 28:17-20 red stone on breastplate
(first stone on priest
breastplate) represents the blood of Christ
the first shall be last. He is
the Lamb of God
He represents salvation and all
judgement
Emerald -Judah
Ex 28:17-20 green stone on priest breastplate
“Lion of the tribe of
The wedding stone …. the invitation has been made
Rev 19 Marriage of the Lamb
Rainbow -Noah
found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Gen 9:8-17)
God made a covenant / Noah saw
half rainbow on earth
God has a complete circle round
the throne
…He keeps his Word, God’s Word sure, Jesus promised to return & will honor Hs word & deliver church His covenant of mercy
4 And round about the throne were four and
twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed
in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5 And
out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there
were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits
of God. 6 And before the throne there was a sea of
glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the
throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7 And
the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the
third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8 And
the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of
eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord
God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
2. The Throng in Heaven
a. The 24 Elders
are:
1. Representative of the Glorified Church (Rom 3:22 &
Rev 19:18)
Following the
Rapture there will be the marriage of the Lamb, then the
Judgment Seat of Christ (II Cor
5:10). Here the degree of reward for good
works, faithfulness,
loyalty and devotion will be handed out.
2. They are wearing gold crowns- given by Christ (II Tim
4:8, Jms 1:12, I Pet 5:4)
3. They are wearing white—the righteousness of Christ (Is
64:6 & II Cor 5:21)
4. But not angels (The elders are clothed in
righteousness and are wearing crowns)
5. Not Old Testament Saints because I Thes 4:14-17 speaks of those “in
Christ”,
therefore only
the redeemed since Pentecost are found here as every believer
Is baptized into the body of
Christ by the Spirit. (I Cor 12:12,13) (Acts 1:5)
Also Daniel
12:1-3 tells us that the Old Testment Saints will be resurrected at
The end of the
Tribulation (Rev 20:4-6)
Out
of the Throne proceeds lightenings, thunderings and voices as the storm of
God’s Judgment is approaching and imminent. Remember as God gave the Old
Testament Law there were Lightenings & thunderings (Ex 19:16).
The
7 lamps of fire are the 7 attributes of the Spirit of God (Is 11:2). Note the
Spirit has been removed from the earth and is out of the way of iniquity (II
Thes 2:7). Then He is only in the Presence of God.
b. The 4 Beasts
Each of the 4 Beasts represent the 4 Gospels
1-
Lion Matthew presents Christ as
King- His Majesty
2-Calf Mark presents Christ as a
Sacrificing Servant
3-Man Luke presents Christ as the Son of
Man and represents His humanity
4-Eagle John presents Christ as Sovereign
and Supreme, Christ is a Deity
Six
wings full of eyes and rest not but cry “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty” which was, and is, and is to come.” (Although the rapture has taken place, He is
coming again!
9 And
when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the
throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before
him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and
cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to
receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for
thy pleasure they are and were created.
3. The Theme in Heaven
What
a worship and thanksgiving scene unfolds. A sea of glass represents the church
in the place of rest, no longer on life’s stormy sea. The elders fall down
before Him and worship (heaven is a continual place of worship).
We
will lay down (cast) or rewards at Jesus feet. We will honor the Perfect Will
of God and give Him Glory and Praise.
(I John 2:28) Oh how we should fully yield our lives to
Christ