Apocalipse 4
William Barclay · Citado em PreceptAustin
Apocalipse 4
Barclay - More than once, the New Testament speaks of the heavens being opened; and it is of the greatest significance to see the object of that opening. (1) There is the opening of the heavens for vision. 'The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God' (Ezekiel 1:1). God sends to those who seek him the vision of himself and of his truth. (2) There is the opening for the descent of the Spirit. When Jesus was baptized by John, he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon himself (Mark 1:10). When our minds and souls seek upwards, the Spirit of God descends to meet them. (3) There is the opening for the revelation of the glory of Christ. It was the promise of Jesus to Nathanael that he would see the heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man (John 1:51). Some day, the heavens will open to disclose the glory of Christ; and inevitably that day will bring joy to those who have loved him and amazement and fear to those who have despised him. Mark Hitchcock addresses a question that surely every believer has asked at one time or another - Will believers see God in heaven? (See 101 Answers to Questions About the Book of Revelation) (AS AN ASIDE - Mark Hitchcock has a book that is totally accessible [no time limit] on archive.org. The book is entitled Global Reset Do Current Events Point To The Antichrist And His Worldwide Empire (SEE CONTENTS BELOW) - it was released in 2022 and addresses the role of such events as the COVID Pandemic.) When I was a young boy, I remember asking a noted guest speaker at our church if he thought we would see God in heaven. He told me that we would see Jesus, who, of course, is God, but that we would not see God the Father because He is spirit. The answer seemed okay, but for some reason I was never really sure that he was correct. Something inside me said that I would someday see my heavenly Father, but I didn’t have any idea if the Bible supported my impression. What I didn’t realize at that time was that all the Lord’s people long to see Him. As the psalmist said, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2). The psalmist wanted to see God. And in the New Testament, speaking for all the disciples, Philip said to Jesus, “Show us the Father” (John 14:8). As I grew older I discovered some key passages that confirm we will see the manifestation of God (the Father) in heaven as well as God the Son. One of these passages is in Revelation 4. Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Revelation 4:2-3 “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.” The One who sits on the throne in Revelation 4–5 is not Jesus, but God the Father. In Revelation 5:13, the One who sits on the throne (God the Father) is clearly distinguished from the Lamb (God the Son). Revelation 22:4 “They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.” However, there are three key verses people often cite to argue that even believers in Christ will never see God in heaven: Exodus 33:20 “He said, ‘You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!’” John 1:18 “No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” 1 Timothy 6:15-16 “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.” So how do we reconcile these seemingly contradictory biblical statements? We will see God, yet no man can see God and live. I believe the three verses that say that man cannot see God and live refer to man in his unperfected, unglorified condition in an earthly body. In our present state, we cannot behold the manifestation of God and survive the experience. However, in our immortal, imperishable bodies in heaven we will be granted the inestimable privilege of seeing the localized manifestation of our heavenly Father. We will see the Father in heaven! John MacArthur supports this view: "I believe that in heaven we will see God Himself with our physical eyes… God will reveal the light of His glory, and through perfect eyes we will see the very face of God. God is spirit (John 4:24+), and spirit is invisible; therefore, whenever God manifests Himself He does so in the form of light… Seeing Christ and the Father will eternally awe us." (BORROW Heaven; You can also BORROW his related book entitled The glory of heaven : the truth about heaven, angels, and eternal life) The fact that we will see the Father and the Son in heaven does not mean that there is more than one God. The true God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). He is one in essence or nature, yet three in person. Another way to put it is that God is one “what” (one essence) and three “whos” (three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). We will see the manifestation of the Father in heaven as well as the face of our blessed Savior. “They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:4; see also 1 Corinthians 13:12). CONTENTS OF Global Reset Do Current Events Point To The Antichrist And His Worldwide Empire - AVAILABLE FREE AT ARCHIVE.ORG (AS OF 9/5/23) ONE: GLOBAL PRE-SET TWO: SURGING GLOBAL DELUSION THREE: ONE WORLD UNDER THE ANTICHRIST FOUR: 666 AND THE COMING CASHLESS SOCIETY FIVE: ENTER THE DRAGON: CHINA, THE RESET, AND THE END OF DAYS SIX: AMERICA AT DUSK SEVEN: WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? EIGHT: HORIZONS NINE: THE FINAL RESET TEN: RESETTING YOUR LIFE Spiritual Vision Through Personal Character By Oswald Chambers Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place… —Revelation 4:1 A higher state of mind and spiritual vision can only be achieved through the higher practice of personal character. If you live up to the highest and best that you know in the outer level of your life, God will continually say to you, “Friend, come up even higher.” There is also a continuing rule in temptation which calls you to go higher; but when you do, you only encounter other temptations and character traits. Both God and Satan use the strategy of elevation, but Satan uses it in temptation, and the effect is quite different. When the devil elevates you to a certain place, he causes you to fasten your idea of what holiness is far beyond what flesh and blood could ever bear or achieve. Your life becomes a spiritual acrobatic performance high atop a steeple. You cling to it, trying to maintain your balance and daring not to move. But when God elevates you by His grace into heavenly places, you find a vast plateau where you can move about with ease. Compare this week in your spiritual life with the same week last year to see how God has called you to a higher level. We have all been brought to see from a higher viewpoint. Never allow God to show you a truth which you do not instantly begin to live up to, applying it to your life. Always work through it, staying in its light. Your growth in grace is not measured by the fact that you haven’t turned back, but that you have an insight and understanding into where you are spiritually. Have you heard God say, “Come up higher,” not audibly on the outer level, but to the innermost part of your character? “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing…?” (Genesis 18:17). God has to hide from us what He does, until, due to the growth of our personal character, we get to the level where He is then able to reveal it. In Living Color Read: Revelation 4:1–6 (NIV) The one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. Revelation 4:3 When Xavier McCoury put on the glasses Aunt Celena sent for his tenth birthday, he burst into tears. Born colorblind, Xavier had only ever seen the world in shades of gray, white, and black. With his new EnChroma glasses, however, Xavier saw color for the first time. His euphoria at witnessing the beauty around him made his family feel like they’d beheld a miracle. Witnessing God’s colorfully radiant brilliance also evoked a powerful reaction in the apostle John (Revelation 1:17). After encountering the full glory of the resurrected Christ, John glimpsed “a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. . . . From the throne came flashes of lightning” (Revelation 4:2–5). In a different time, Ezekiel had a similar vision, seeing “what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli,” with a figure above the throne who “looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire” (Ezekiel 1:26–27). This magnificent figure was surrounded with rainbow-like radiance (v. 28). One day we will meet Christ face-to-face. These visions give us just a hint of the magnificence that awaits us. As we celebrate the beauty of God’s creation here and now, may we live in anticipation of the glory yet to be revealed. What response does the color and beauty of creation evoke in you? How can you express your gratitude to God for His wonderful gift? Father, words fail us when we try to imagine what we will experience when we meet You face-to-face. Thank You for the small hints of Your beauty You have placed in our world. INSIGHT Revelation 4:1–6 is a picturesque read with its vivid description of Christ and the throne room of heaven. Ruby, jasper, a brilliant rainbow, white robes, gold crowns, and a crystal sea all paint a colorful picture. In addition, the author adds the auditory element of rumblings and peals of thunder that come from the throne, along with flashes of lightning. While this imagery enthralls the imagination, we shouldn’t miss the incongruous nature of the picture being presented. On the one side there’s the regal beauty of Christ on the throne, a rainbow, and a glass-like sea. On the other, there’s the power and destruction represented by lightning and thunder. Taken together, the picture of God is one of power and beauty combined. J. R. Hudberg C H Spurgeon from his sermon "A Door Opened in Heaven" - I think I may say that a door has often been opened in heaven to us at the communion-table. Astronomers select the best spots for observatories; they like elevated places which are free from traffic, so that their instruments may not quiver with the rumbling of wheels; they prefer also to be away from the smoke of manufacturing towns, that they may discern the orbs of heaven more clearly. Surely, if any one place is fitter to be an observatory for a heaven-mind than another, it is the table of communion. ‘I have been there, and still will go, ‘Tis like a little heaven below.’ Christ may hide himself from his people in preaching, as he did from his disciples on the road to Emmaus, but he made himself known unto them in breaking of bread. Prize much the solemn breaking of bread. That ordinance has been perverted, travestied and profaned; and hence some tender Christians scarcely value it at its right account. To those who will use it rightly, examining themselves and so coming to that table, it is indeed a divine observatory, a place of calm retirement from the world. The elements of bread and wine become the lenses of a far-seeing telescope, through which we behold the Saviour; and I say again, if there be one spot of earth clear from the smoke of care, it is the table where saints have fellowship with their Lord. A door is often opened in heaven at this banquet, when his banner over us is love; but if it be so sweet to enjoy the emblem, what must it be to live with Christ himself and drink the wine new with him in the kingdom of our Father! F B Meyer on Revelation 4:1 - You must remember that John was in the isle of Patmos, a lone, rocky, inhospitable prison, for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. And yet to him, under such circumstances — separated from all the loved ones of Ephesus; debarred from the worship of the Church; condemned to the companionship of uncongenial fellow-captives — were vouchsafed these visions. For him, also, a door was opened. We are reminded of Jacob, exiled from his father’s house, who laid himself down in a desert place to sleep, and in whose dreams beheld a ladder which united earth with heaven, and at the top stood God. Not to these only, but to many more, doors have been opened into heaven; when, so far as this world was concerned, it seemed as though their circumstances were altogether unlikely for such revelations. To prisoners and captives; to constant sufferers, bound by iron chains of pain to sick couches; to lonely pilgrims and wanderers; to women detained from the Lord’s house by the demands of home; to domestic servants, missing the blessed opportunities of the sanctuary — how often has the door been opened in heaven. And what has not Nature been to some of us! How often in a country glade, the first flower of spring, a bird’s warble, a gleam of light chequering the path, has been as a door opened in heaven! There are conditions. You must know what it is to be in the Spirit; you must be pure in heart, and obedient in life; you must be willing to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Then, when God is all in all to us, when we live, move, and have our being in his favor, to us also will the door be opened. Skip Heitzig - Our Worst Time on Earth May Be Our Best Encounter with Jesus It was while John was experiencing his loneliest episode of life that this revelation came to him. While Earth was closing its doors, Heaven was opening new ones. While this world had nothing more to say to John, the next world was beckoning him onward and upward. John once walked with Jesus in the flesh and witnessed His person, power, and glory, but this was by far the best encounter. John’s period of painful separation from human contact brought him into contact with life on the next level. I have seen this paradox in the lives of other suffering saints. Some of the most encouraging, cheerful, and optimistic believers I have met are those who have gone through intense suffering. Often those who have been confined to hospital beds or convalescent homes or even prison cells have told of God’s special presence that sustained them in such places. I’ll never forget going into the hospital room of a woman who was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was given only weeks to live. My visit was a surprise—to me! I turned the corner from the hallway into her room and found her sitting up in bed, beaming! She was encouraging a small group of friends who had come to mourn for her. Far from being in shock or remorse, she was helping all of us make sense out of this tragedy. She was so young and had been so full of life. Now her life was slipping away from her, and everyone was sensing the loss. As we were fumbling to make sense of it, she lucidly explained why she was looking forward to Heaven. She affirmed that Jesus had been more real to her during those final days of her illness than ever before. It was as if God was letting her peek beyond Heaven’s threshold to see where she was going. Learn to look for the richest experiences with Christ to come out of what might appear to be the worst experiences of life. Learn to look for the richest experiences with Christ to come out of what might appear to be the worst experiences of life. Sometimes God can show His strength only while we are admittedly weak. Just as God spoke to Job “out of the storm” (Job 38:1NIV ED: SEE Job 42:5-6), He will often reserve His best revelations for our most turbulent times. THOUGHT (EDITORIAL ADDITION) - Heitzig's words of Job remind of Job's enhanced vision ("20/20" so to speak) after his incredible affliction and adversity finally "coming to his senses" and declaring "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6) What did trials bring for Job, a greater vision of the Greatest One! Streams in the Desert - “A door opened in heaven.” (Rev. 4:1.) YOU must remember that John was in the Isle of Patmos, a lone, rocky, inhospitable prison, for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. And yet to him, under such circumstances, separated from all the loved ones of Ephesus; debarred from the worship of the Church; condemned to the companionship of uncongenial fellow-captives, were vouchsafed these visions. For him, also a door was opened. We are reminded of Jacob, exiled from his father’s house, who laid himself down in a desert place to sleep, and in his dreams beheld a ladder which united Heaven with earth, and at the top stood God. Not to these only, but to many more, doors have been opened into Heaven, when, so far as the world was concerned, it seemed as though their circumstances were altogether unlikely for such revelations. To prisoners and captives; to constant sufferers, bound by iron chains of pain to sick couches; to lonely pilgrims and wanderers; to women detained from the Lord’s house by the demands of home, how often has the door been opened to Heaven. But there are conditions. You must know what it is to be in the Spirit; you must be pure in heart and obedient in faith; you must be willing to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ; then when God is all in all to us, when we live, move and have our being in His favor, to us also will the door be opened. —Daily Devotional Commentary. “God hath His mountains bleak and bare, Where He doth bid us rest awhile; Crags where we breathe a purer air, Lone peaks that catch the day’s first smile. “God hath His deserts broad and brown— A solitude—a sea of sand, Where He doth let heaven’s curtain down, Unknit by His Almighty hand.” Robert Hawker - A door opened in heaven!—Revelation 4:1. Lord! give me, as thou didst to thy servant John, a call to “come up hither,” and by faith behold the glories which shall be revealed; and immediately I shall be in the spirit as he was, and so substantiate and realize, in present enjoyments, those felicities in Jesus, that this evening my soul will be, by happy faith, in the very suburbs of that blessed city, which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God! Is it not true, Lord, that all my possessions are thine? And shall I not take the map of them from Scripture, and look over them with holy rapture and delight? Do men of the earth take pride in their lands and manors; the very holding of which is precarious, even in the moment of possession, and which slide from under their feet as soon as they enter upon them; and shall not an heir of God, a joint-heir with Christ, rejoice in having a kingdom which cannot be moved? Come, my soul, look within the veil, whither thy Forerunner is for thee entered; and now that God the Holy Ghost hath opened a door in heaven, behold what felicities are presenting themselves to thy view! Behold, amidst all the glories of the place, how eminently Jesus, even thy Jesus, appears as a Lamb in the midst of the throne: and still as a Lamb that hath been slain, as if to testify the eternal, unceasing efficacy of his blood and righteousness. But what an innumarable host are these, which stand around the throne, and encircle the Redeemer! “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!” Mark that, my soul! They were once in the tribulated path that thou art now in; they were once sinners here below, as thou art now; and they owe all their advancement, not to their merit, but to divine bounty; not to works of righteousness which they have done, but to the same source as thou art now seeking acceptance from—the blood of the Lamb. Oh! precious, soul-satisfying testimony, on a point of such infinite importance! Blessed, for ever blessed, be God the Holy Ghost, for first opening to the beloved apostle this door in heaven, and for all the after-revelations of Jesus, made by this condescending discovery to the Church in all ages. Often, my soul, look up, and behold the door still open; and often by faith look in, and behold thy Redeemer, and his redeemed, in “the spirits of just men made perfect.” Realize these blessed things, and seek from thy Jesus a strength of faith (for such a faith hath been given to some, and why not to thee?) as shall absolutely bring down the present enjoyment of heaven into thy soul, before the Lord shall finally and fully call thee up to the everlasting enjoyment of him in glory. Blessed be God, (my soul, do thou cry out with the apostle,) who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together, in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus! D A Carson - REVELATION 4 IS TO REVELATION 5 what a setting is to a drama. Revelation 4 is a description, in apocalyptic symbolism, of the throne room of Almighty God; Revelation 5 plays out a drama in that setting. John identifies the voice he hears as the voice he first heard speaking to him like a trumpet (4:1)—the voice of the exalted Lord Jesus (1:10–16). John is called up through an open door into heaven to see the elements of the spectacular vision that unfolds in the ensuing verses. Immediately he is “in the Spirit” (4:2)—perhaps some Spirit-imparted trance or vision, or perhaps, like Paul (2 Cor. 12:1–10), John does not really know the nature of his movement. But what he sees is clear enough: (a) John sees the centrality and ineffable majesty of the Almighty (4:2b–3). He does not let his readers forget that above all temporal thrones, some of them responsible for appalling persecution, stands the ultimate throne, the throne of God. He describes the blazing glory of light refracting over precious gems, like the crown jewels in the Tower of London. One cannot come away from this vision and draw God. This dazzling, fiery beauty commands awe but permits no replicas (cf. Ezek. 1:28). (b) John sees the divine throne enhanced by spectacular heavenly beings (4:4). Although it is possible to take the “elders” as representing believers from both old and new covenants, it is better to take them as a high order of angels. They offer the prayers of God’s saints to God (5:8), an angelic function (8:3). Believers sing a new song that the elders cannot sing (14:3). In the visions of 7:9–11 and 19:1–4 the elders are found in concentric circles between angels and the four living creatures (the highest order of angelic beings). An elder frequently interprets what is going on (e.g., 5:5)—a common angelic function in apocalyptic literature. Here they enhance the throne and participate in worship. (c) John sees the holy separateness of the Almighty. That is the point of the three vignettes in 4:5–6a. The massive storm reminds the reader of Sinai (Ex. 19:16). The sea serves as a symbol for the entire fallen order; that is why in the new heaven and the new earth there is no more sea (21:1). John is distanced from the Almighty by these and related phenomena. (d) John sees the four living creatures, described in terms drawn from Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1 and 10. They are the highest angelic beings, orchestrating the praise of the Almighty and reflecting his transcendent administration (4:6b–11). God alone is to be worshiped, for he alone is the Creator (4:11), and all other authority derives from his (4:10). (For the Love of God, Volume 2 - June 2 Devotional) Skip Heitzig - A few years ago during a long flight I began paging through an airline magazine. Soon I saw an advertisement for a new hotel in Seattle: “Great views, great location, great rates” trumpeted the ad, seeking to attract the attention of wealthy executives. That’s really what people want in a home, isn’t it? I thought. They want a lovely view, a convenient location, and great rates. I believe we will enjoy those features in our eternal home. We’ll be blessed with a great location: the new heaven and the new earth. We’ll have a great view: the throne of God, the tree of life, and a river that flows from the Lord’s throne, as pure as crystal. And we’ll enjoy great rates: it’s free! God will give all of this, without cost, to everyone who gladly follows His Son. Can you imagine the happiness overflowing from a place like that? I’m reminded of some parents who took their little boy to the pet shop for his birthday. They allowed him to pick any dog he wanted. The shop owner showed the boy every type of dog imaginable, but the boy picked the one who wagged its tail nonstop. “Why’d you pick that dog?” everyone asked. “Because,” replied the boy, “I want the one with the happy ending.” That’s a wise little boy! When God lays out all of the possible paths for us into eternity, we need to make sure we choose the one with the happy ending. And that’s what the fourth chapter of Revelation is about. (BORROW You can understand the book of Revelation) ILLUSTRATION - When many savings and loan institutions failed in 1989, the federal government had to dispose of numerous properties. One was most interesting was the six acre NcCune mansion in Paradise Valley, Arizona. It was built in the 1960's by Walker NcCune for his young bride. The house contains 53,000 square feet and includes an ice skating rink, an Olympic swimming pool, a fourteen car garage, its own beauty salon, guest house, and a ballroom with an $80,000 chandelier. Oddly enough, Mrs. NcCune didn’t like it and refused to move in. She never lived in it. Perhaps there are others who don’t like Paradise Valley, AZ, and wouldn’t be satisfied with the NcCune Mansion but no one will be dissatisfied with the mansion Christ has prepared for us in heaven. James Smith in Handfuls of Purpose - THE HEAVENLY COURT OF THE KING OF KINGS REVELATION 4 Introduction 1. THE FACT OF CHRIST’S SOVEREIGNTY AND POWER a great comfort. This is revealed here. a. Dr. Dale mentions in one of his works that, in a time of great bodily weakness and depression, when suffering from a serious illness, he sought to stay his soul on Scripture promises that reminded him of our Lord’s love and tenderness, but they failed to comfort him. b. Then, trying to dwell on the fact of Christ’s Power and Sovereignty, he found a strange support on which he could rest. c. When the Boxer Riots broke out in China, and the leaders of the China Inland Mission came to their office one morning, dreading at any moment to receive tidings of disaster, some one discovered that the day text on the wall was a promise based on the fact that the Lord is King. The words brought the needed sense of reassurance and strength, and they were able to turn to their usual work, sure that all would be overruled for good. d. The fact of the Divine Sovereignty steadies. e. That is the view Revelation gives of the Lord. f. This is the thought we need for dark days. g. Also the assurance of the ultimate victory of good over evil. 2. Also in this section of Revelation (4 to end) we have the assurance of the ultimate victory of good—God. 3. This chapter begins the third great section of Revelation. 4. The scene shifts from earth to Heaven. 5. We are introduced to the glorious Audience Chamber of the Great King. 6. Everything speaks of Royalty. I. The Opened Heaven (Rev 4:1). 1. THERE ARE FIVE OPENINGS mentioned in Bible: An opened Heaven: a. In Judgment (Gen. 7:11). b. In Blessing (Mal. 3:10). c. For the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:21). d. For a sight of Jesus (Acts 7:56). e. Lord as Conqueror (Rev. 4:1; 19:11). 2. “COME UP.” We cannot apprehend the highest truth if we live on a low plane of thought and conduct. II. The One on the Throne (Rev 4:2, 3). “He saw the Almighty high and lifted up, throned above all worlds, veiled in light unapproachable, yet known, His presence scintillating with the brilliance of the diamond, glowing like a cornelian, with the concentrated redness of a furnace, and yet over-arched with fresh and living green, as of an emerald. Blinding brilliancy; the glow of a consuming fire; the soft radiance of rainbow promise; these were the contrasted elements in the impression made upon the seer by the vision of Him who sat upon the throne.” NOTE. 1. “Rapt in the Spirit” (Rev 4:2). 2. The two opposites in Him. a. He who was Sardine under the Law has ended as Jasper by the Revelation of His Son. b. Holiness and wrath. c. Sardine as well as Jasper. Never know all of Him. 3. Rainbow: a. Complete circle. Covenant sign. b. Green. III. The Ones Before the Throne (Rev 4:4–8). 1. THE ELDERS (Rev 4:4, 5), heads of angelic ranks. 2. THE LIVING ONES (Rev 4:6–8). a. A sea of crystal, not water. No cleansing in Heaven. b. A combination of Seraphim and Cherubim, combining: i. Royalty and boldness of lion. ii. Usefulness of calf. iii. Intelligence of man. iv. Spirituality and soaring quality of eagle. IV. The Song of Creation (Rev 4:8–11). 1. The Holiness of God. 2. The Sovereignty of God. 3. The Almightiness of God. 4. The Timelessness of God. Croft Pentz - THE OPEN DOOR Revelation 4:1–11 God does reveal certain things to His people. Jesus gave the promise of heaven in John 14:1–3. Later Paul spoke of the indescribable beauty of heaven (1 Cor. 2:9). Now God opens the door to heaven and explains to John the beauty of heaven. Heaven is a real place. It is for all those who meet God’s requirements for salvation. I. THE PLACE—Rev 4:1–3 A. Person—Rev 4:1. God showed John the glories of the future that are for God’s people. B. Place—Rev 4:2. Vision of heaven. John saw the throne of God. C. Personality—Rev 4:3. “Great bursts of light flashed forth from him as from a glittering diamond, or from a shining ruby, and a rainbow glowing like an emerald encircles his throne” (LB). II. THE PEOPLE—Rev 4:4–5 A. People—Rev 4:4. This is no doubt the rapture of the church. The twenty-four elders perhaps mean the twelve tribes of Israel, representing the Old Testament and the twelve disciples, representing the New Testament (cf. Rev. 21:12–14). B. Picture—Rev 4:5–6 1. Throne of judgment. The lightning and thunder was seen as in Exodus 20:18 (cf. Heb. 12:18–21). 2. The lamps represent the Holy Spirit (Isa. 11:2). 3. The sea of glass was transparent, meaning it had no blemish. III. THE PRAISE—Rev 4:7–8 A. Appearance—Rev 4:7. The first beast was like a lion, the second beast was like a calf, the third beast had a man’s face, and the fourth beast was like an eagle. B. Attitude—Rev 4:8. The seraphim’s job was to praise God at all times (cf. Isa. 6:1–8). They praised the One “which was, and is, and is to come.” IV. THE PLEASURE—Rev 4:9–11 A. Persons—Rev 4:9–10a. “And when the Living Beings gave glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four Elders fell down before him and worshiped him, the Eternal Living One” (LB). B. Praise—Rev 4:10. The elders bowed down and cast their crowns before Him in their praise to Him. C. Pleasure—Rev 4:11. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power.” God made man to praise Him. “For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” God longs to have men’s worship. If men don’t know how to worship the Lord here, they will feel out of place in heaven. The Bible has much to say about praise and thanks. Prayer is stressed in today’s churches, but praise is given little emphasis. One of the best ways to pray is to praise. Praise opens a person to God and heavenly things. Revelation 4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. BGT Revelation 4:2 Εὐθέως ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι, καὶ ἰδοὺ θρόνος ἔκειτο ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον καθήμενος, KJV Revelation 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. NET Revelation 4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it! CSB Revelation 4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was set there in heaven. One was seated on the throne, ESV Revelation 4:2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. NIV Revelation 4:2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. NLT Revelation 4:2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. NRS Revelation 4:2 At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! NJB Revelation 4:2 With that, I fell into ecstasy and I saw a throne standing in heaven, and the One who was sitting on the throne, NAB Revelation 4:2 At once I was caught up in spirit. A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat YLT Revelation 4:2 and immediately I was in the Spirit, and lo, a throne was set in the heaven, and upon the throne is one sitting, MIT Revelation 4:2 Immediately I was in the spiritual realm, and I saw a throne situated in heaven, replete with its occupant. I was in the Spirit: Rev 1:10 Rev 17:3 Rev 21:10 Eze 3:12-14 a throne was standing in heaven: Rev 4:5 Rev 20:11 Isa 6:1 Jer 17:12 Eze 1:26,28 10:1 One sitting on the throne: Rev 4:9 Rev 3:21 Rev 5:1,6,7,13 Rev 6:16 7:9-17 Rev 12:5 Rev 19:4 Rev 21:5 Rev 22:1-3 Isa 6:1 Da 7:9 Heb 8:1 Revelation 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Ezekiel 1:3 the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him. Ezekiel 3:14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away; and I went embittered in the rage of my spirit, and the hand of the LORD was strong on me. Ezekiel 8:2 Then I looked, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of a man; from His loins and downward there was the appearance of fire, and from His loins and upward the appearance of brightness, like the appearance of glowing metal. 3 He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located. Ezekiel 11:24 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to the exiles in Chaldea. So the vision that I had seen left me. Ezekiel 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. Acts 8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. 2 Corinthians 12:1-2 Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago–whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows–such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 1 Timothy 6:15-16+ He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, Who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. Isaiah 6:1+ In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. 5 Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Daniel 7:9-14+ “I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire. 10 “A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And the books were opened. 11 “Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. 12 “As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. 13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. Ezekiel 1:26-28+ Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. 27 Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. 28 As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. Revelation 7:10+ and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Psalm 47:8 God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne. JOHN TRANSPORTED TO SEE GOD ON HIS THRONE IN HEAVEN Remember the clear division of the Revelation from Rev 1:19 - The Key to the Understanding of Revelation (1) The things which you have seen - Chapter 1 (2) The things which are - Chapter 2-3 (3) The things which will take place after these things - Chapter 4-22 Immediately (eutheos) I was in the Spirit - Immediately (eutheos) speaks of instantaneously. In the Spirit is found 4x in the Revelation - Rev 1:10, Rev 4:2, Rev 17:3, Rev 21:10 (See table below). Think of John's description as a preview of coming attractions for Revelation 4-5 is likely a scene we will witness forever in the future. And it will not be boring! As an aside, how good is our great God to visit this dear apostle exiled and alone on an island and show Him the great unfolding of God's plan for the ages. Forsaken by men, but not forsaken by God (see Hebrews 13:5b+). God certainly knows how to comfort His children! While commentators assume that in the Spirit implies John's body remained on Patmos. That is certainly possible, but it behooves us to at least compare Paul's experience in 2 Corinthians 12:3-4+ "And I know how such a man–whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows–was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak." While this was clearly a different event, the destination certainly sounds like it was the same as with John's experience. The point is that Paul did not know whether he was in his body or apart from his body in paradise. I won't be dogmatic but present that passage as one to ponder in considering what in the Spirit meant for John. Henry
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Barclay - There is something very interesting here. John makes no attempt to describe God in any human shape. As H. B. Swete says, 'He rigorously shuns anthropomorphic details.' He describes God in 'the flashing of gem-like colours', but he never mentions any kind of form. It is a familiar theme in the Bible to see God in terms of light. The Pastoral Epistles describe God as dwelling in 'unapproachable light' (1 Timothy 6:16). And, long before that, the psalmist had spoken of God who wraps himself with light as with a garment (Psalm 104:2). John sees his vision in terms of the lights which flash from precious stones. We do not know what exactly these stones were. The three names here are jasper, sardian and emerald. One thing is certain: these were typical of the most precious stones. Plato mentions the three of them together as representative of precious stones (Phaedo, 111 E). They were part of the rich array of the King of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:13); they were among the precious stones on the breastplate of the high priest (Exodus 28:17); and they were among the stones which were the foundation of the holy city (Revelation 21:19). Henry Morris -The beautiful rainbow is mentioned only four times in Scripture (Genesis 9:13-16; Ezekiel 1:28; Revelation 4:3; 10:1). Each time it is associated with God in a time of judgment on the earth, but also associated with His mercy and grace during such times of judgment. (BORROW The Defender's Study Bible) THOUGHT - As you read the outpouring of wrath in Revelation 6-19 keep alert to God's offerings of mercy and grace to rebellious mankind as you will see them throughout these verses (e.g., Rev 14:6+ just before the final and greatest outpouring of God's wrath). Messianic Jewish writer David Levy said, “John saw a sparkling light like that of a blue-white diamond mingled with the bright light from a blood-red stone like a ruby, producing a flashing blaze of glorious color.” Indescribable From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea Creations revealing Your majesty From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring Every creature unique in the song that it sings All exclaiming Indescribable, uncontainable You placed the stars in the sky And You know them by name You are amazing, God All powerful, untameable Awestruck, we fall to our knees As we humbly proclaim You are amazing, God Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go? Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light? Yet, conceals it to bring us the coolness of night None can fathom Akin sums up John's description of the One seated on the throne - Put them all together and you have a vision of God’s majesty, splendor, glory, and faithfulness. He is beyond description in appearance and utterly reliable in His promises. He is awesome, magnificent, transcendent, and spectacular. There is no God like our God! (See Exalting Jesus in Revelation) Leon
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Barclay on HOLY - Again and again, we have seen that the basic idea of holiness is difference. That is supremely true of God. He is different from human beings. That is precisely the reason why we are moved to adoration of God. If he were simply a glorified human person, we could not praise. As the poet had it: 'How could I praise, if such as I could understand?' The very mystery of God moves us to awed admiration in his presence and to amazed love that that greatness should stoop so low for us and for our salvation. Reginald Showers - God’s holiness is His quality of being distinct from His creation. When Satan began His revolt against God, he challenged God’s holiness by asserting, “I will be like the Most High” (Isa. 14:14). This was Satan’s way of saying, “God, You are not unique or different in contrast with Your creation. As one of Your creatures, I shall become just like You.” In contrast with this bold challenge, four of God’s heavenly creatures continuously assert His holiness. (BORROW Maranatha, our Lord, come! : a definitive study of the rapture of the church) William Barclay on ALMIGHTY - It praises his omnipotence. God is the Almighty. The people to whom Revelation was written are under the threat of the Roman Empire, a power which no individual or nation had ever successfully withstood. Think what it must have meant to be sure that behind them stood the Almighty. The very giving of that name to God affirms the certainty of the safety of Christians—a safety which did not mean release from trouble but which made people secure in life and in death. Vincent on holy, holy holy - Compare Isa. 6:3, which is the original of the formula known as the Trisagion (thrice holy), used in the ancient liturgies. Grant Osborne on worship - John describes these scenes in such detail because Christians in the first century came from many backgrounds. Not all of them understood Jewish history or knew the glory of the Temple. Revelation instructs us in worship. It shows us where, why, and how to praise God. What does worship do? Worship takes our minds off our problems and focuses them on God. Worship leads us from individual meditation to corporate worship. Worship causes us to consider and appreciate God's character. Worship lifts our perspective from the earthly to the heavenly. (See Revelation) Warren Wiersbe on cast their crowns - The stage is now set: the church has been taken to heaven; the Lord is on the throne; all of heaven praises Him and awaits the outpouring of His wrath. It is interesting to note that the name of God used here is "Lord God Almighty" (Rev 4:8). History tells us that this was the official title used by Emperor Domitian, who was responsible for the persecutions that sent John to Patmos. Men and women may honor themselves, but the day will come when everybody—great and small—will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. (BORROW Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament) Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, Who biddest the mighty ocean deep Its own appointed limits keep; Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee, For those in peril on the sea! (Eternal Father, Strong to Save) WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME - Here they extol God's attribute of eternality, echoed in Rev 4:10+. Him Who lives forever and ever.. This is like Rev 1:4, 8, but with the order changed. Akin says "looks to the I AM of Ex. 3:14. The Lord of creation is the Lord of the ages." While this speaks primarily of the Father, it is true of the Son, and this book speaks directly to the One "Who is to come!" SING IT OUT - HOLY HOLY HOLY Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity! Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, Who was, and is, and evermore shall be. Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see; Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee, Perfect in power, in love, and purity. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea; Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity! Danny Akin - In heaven we will cast our crowns and worship our God. It will be both an appropriate and happy assignment in light of who He is, and what He does. We will know He is worthy then. Shouldn’t we know He is worthy now? Related Resources: Holy, Holiness - Attribute of God BORROW - A MODERN DAY CLASSIC - The holiness of God by R C Sproul (Read some of the reviews - there are over 2000!) WATCH R C Sproul's powerful series The Holiness of God - Six videos ~30' each. This classic was first presented in 1970. If you have never seen this, you owe it to yourself to "binge" God's Holiness, in lieu of the latest popular Netflix flick! (Are you as convicted as I am as I write those words?) Here is my challenge - watch the first 5 minutes of the introduction. I think you will want to watch more! As an aside, I do not (cannot) watch uncensored Netflix, Prime, etc videos but can safely watch using Vidangel which removes the sex and language. I highly recommend it) Holy (40) hagios set apart ones, separated ones, sanctified ones, holy ones) is literally a holy one and properly means different, set apart, distinct, holy. Almighty (3841) (pantokrator from pás = all + kratos = strength or might, especially manifested power, the power to rule or control) is literally the ruler over all or the One Who controls all things and Who has power over everything. The One in total control! Pantokrator thus describes God’s sovereign, omnipotent, irresistible power. Note that Vine gives the derivation of pantokrator as from pas = all + krateo = to hold or to have strength. Krateo means to hold or cling to is derived from kratos and gives the picture of being in the grip of Him in Whose hand are all things. God is the Almighty One, the One Who has His hand in everything and on everything! If believers are in the hands of a God like that (and they are), nothing can pluck them away. The word was used in secular literature to describe the attributes of the gods and is probably used in Revelation 1 in contrast to the Roman emperor’s self-designation as autokrator, a designation that appears on numerous Roman milestones along the Roman roads of Asia Minor. Pantokrator - 10x/10v - all translated "Almighty" - 2 Co. 6:18; Rev. 1:8; Rev. 4:8; Rev. 11:17; Rev. 15:3; Rev. 16:7; Rev. 16:14; Rev. 19:6; Rev. 19:15; Rev. 21:22. Pantokrator is used over 100x in the Septuagint. Revelation 1:8 (SOME SEE THIS A THE FATHER) “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 4:8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.” Revelation 11:17 saying, “We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. Revelation 15:3 And they *sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! Revelation 16:7 And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” Revelation 16:14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. Revelation 19:6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Revelation 19:15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. Revelation 21:22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Lawrence Richards adds that "Pantokrator signifies the unmatched greatness of God, who has power over all humankind and every competing authority (Ep 1:19-21+). Occurrences of this word predominate (9 of the 10 uses) in Revelation. There they pick up the OT theme of God's final, decisive intervention in history, when He acts to destroy this world's kingdoms and to establish His own (EDITORIAL NOTE: Thus fulfilling His covenant promises to the the patriarchs and the Nation of Israel, which is not the church but the actual nation that will be composed of 100% believing Jews at the return of the Messiah, when as Paul states "all Israel will be saved" - Ro 11:26+). As the Almighty, God makes promises to people and commits his own power to see these promises carried out. This God is ever-present, hovering over history and free to act within it, even though his authority may be unacknowledged by those who do his will. Ultimately, he will undertake a great, final intervention. Then every competing power will be visibly crushed, and God's hidden authority will be overwhelmingly visible. When this happens, the irresistible power that makes God almighty will be known and acknowledged by all (cf. Php 2:9-11+; Rev 19:6+). (Borrow Expository Dictionary of Bible Words) (Bolding added) Baxter - O blessed rest! When we rest not day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!” When we shall rest from sin, but not from worship; from suffering and sorrow, but not from joy! O blessed day, when I shall rest with God; when I shall rest in knowing, loving, rejoicing, and praising; when my perfect soul and body shall together perfectly enjoy the most perfect God; when God, who is love itself, shall perfectly love me, and rest in His love to me, and I shall rest in my love to Him; when He shall rejoice over me with joy, and joy over me with singing, and I shall rejoice in Him! Robert Hawker - Make a solemn pause, my soul, over these words; and when thou hast found a fixedness of thought, that every faculty may be engaged in the contemplation, ponder well this divine perfection of Jehovah, the holiness of his nature, by which an eternal distinction is drawn between him and all his creatures. None but Jehovah can be essentially holy. Angels, who have never sinned, have indeed a holiness: but it is derived from him, and not in themselves, and, in point of comparison, is but as the shadow to the substance; moreover, being in their nature mutable creatures, their holiness may be changed also: the fallen angels are proofs in point. But with Jehovah, holiness is in himself the peculiar glory of his nature, and inseparable from his very existence. Pause over this view, for it is scriptural, and truly blessed. Go on to another observation. Thrice is the ascription of holiness given, in this sublime song of the blessed in heaven, as if to point out the personality of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the holy undivided three, “which bear record in heaven, for these three are one.” (1 John 5:7.) When these glorious truths are suitably impressed upon thee, pause once more and consider with what distinguishing characters the holiness of Jehovah is set forth in the word of God. The heavenly host are said to rest not day and night in proclaiming their deep sense and adoration of Jehovah in this glorious attribute. Now here is somewhat for the mind to lean upon, in contemplating Jehovah’s holiness. Jehovah is eternal also, and hath commanded the Church to know him as the faithful God. (Deut. 7:9.) But we never read that the host of worshippers thrice repeat his eternity, or his faithfulness, in their hymns of adoration and praise. Moreover, Jehovah himself seems to have pointed out this divine attribute as among the distinguishing excellencies he will be known by; for he singles it out to swear by: “I have once sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David.” (Psalm 89:35.) Precious thought for the poor timid believer to keep always in view! For it is as if Jehovah had said, “I have pledged my holiness, as an attribute essential to my very nature, that what I have promised to David’s Lord, even, my dear Son, of the redemption of his seed, as sure as I am holy, I will most certainly perform!” Moreover, my soul, holiness is the glory of Jehovah. Hence the song of the Church: “Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods, who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness?” (Exod. 15:11.) And hence, Jehovah is said to be worshipped “in the beauties of holiness.” (Psalm 110:3.) My soul! keep this also in remembrance. If the representation of an angel, or a man, were to be made, we should figure to ourselves the most beautiful countenance; and if Jehovah be represented to us, how is it done? Surely in the beauty of holiness; for God the Holy Ghost gives us “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ!” (2 Cor. 4:6.) Pause over these infinitely solemn meditations, and while thou art overawed (as, indeed, it is impossible but to be so) in the contemplation of so distinguishing a perfection of the divine nature, and, moreover, as this view of God’s holiness is so directly opposed to the unholiness of a poor, fallen, sinful creature, as thou art, look up for grace from the Holy Ghost the comforter, and take relief in the sweet and consoling, consideration that to this glorious God thou art permitted, yea, commanded and encouraged, to draw near, in and through the holiness of thy Redeemer. Hail, blessed Jesus! upheld by the right arm of thy righteousness, and washed from all our sins in thy blood, all thy Church may here draw nigh by faith, and send I forth their feeble breathings in the same strain as the Church in thy presence doth above, while in their hymns, day and night, they shout aloud, “Holy! holy! holy! Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” Holy, Holy, Holy They do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” —Revelation 4:8 Today's Scripture: Revelation 4 “Time flies when you’re having fun.” This cliché has no basis in fact, but experience makes it seem true. When life is pleasant, time passes all too quickly. Give me a task that I enjoy, or a person whose company I love, and time seems irrelevant. My experience of this “reality” has given me a new understanding of the scene described in Revelation 4. In the past, when I considered the four living creatures seated around God’s throne who keep repeating the same few words, I thought, What a boring existence! I don’t think that anymore. I think about the scenes they have witnessed with their many eyes (v.8). I consider the view they have from their position around God’s throne (v.6). I think of how amazed they are at God’s wise and loving involvement with wayward earthlings. Then I think, What better response could there be? What else is there to say but, “Holy, holy, holy”? Is it boring to say the same words over and over? Not when you’re in the presence of the one you love. Not when you’re doing exactly what you were designed to do. Like the four creatures, we were designed to glorify God. Our lives will never be boring if we’re focusing our attention on Him and fulfilling that purpose.By: Julie Ackerman Link Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity! —Heber A heart in tune with God can’t help but sing His praise. Revelation 4:9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, BGT Revelation 4:9 Καὶ ὅταν δώσουσιν τὰ ζῷα δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ εὐχαριστίαν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπὶ τῷ θρόνῳ τῷ ζῶντι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, KJV Revelation 4:9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, NET Revelation 4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, CSB Revelation 4:9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, ESV Revelation 4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, NIV Revelation 4:9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, NLT Revelation 4:9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), NRS Revelation 4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, NJB Revelation 4:9 Every time the living creatures glorified and honoured and gave thanks to the One sitting on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, NAB Revelation 4:9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, YLT Revelation 4:9 and when the living creatures do give glory, and honour, and thanks, to Him who is sitting upon the throne, who is living to the ages of the ages, MIT Revelation 4:9 When the animate creatures give glory, honor, and thanksgiving to the one seated on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever, when: Rev 5:13,14 7:11,12 who: Rev 1:18 5:14 10:6 15:7 Ex 15:18 Ps 48:14 Heb 7:8,25 Revelation 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries GLORY AND HONOR AND THANKS UNTO OUR GREAT GOD ON THE THRONE And when - This time sensitive word marks a perfect coordination in this worship service between the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders (Rev 4:11). the living creatures (zoon) give glory (doxa) and honor (time) and thanks (eucharistia) to Him who sits (kathemai in present tense) on the throne (thronos), to Him who lives forever (aion) and ever (aion) “Created life adores the Uncreated” -- Swete Warren
Apocalipse 4
Barclay - God is Creator. It is through his will and purpose that all things existed even before creation and were in the end brought into actual being. Human beings have acquired many powers, but we do not possess the power to create. We can alter and rearrange; we can make things out of already existing materials; but only God can create something out of nothing. That great truth means that in a very real sense everything in the world belongs to God, and there is nothing that we can handle which God has not given to us. Unfortunately Augustine was right when he said "“Thus does the world forget You, its Creator, and falls in love with what You have created instead of with You.” Lehman Strauss - We praise God for saving us, but seldom have I heard a believer praise God for creating him. In Heaven we will know the joy of having been created. There are no songs of evolution in Heaven, only of creation. Our Saviour is the Origin and Source of all creation (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). He caused all things and all creatures to exist. This is the reason why the elders worship Him. They acknowledge God as the Source and Sustainer of the universe and of all life. (BORROW The Book of the Revelation: Outlined Studies) R. H. Charles declares that in Revelation 4 “God the Creator is the centre of worship.” (A Critical And Exegetical Commentary On The Revelation Of St John) Reginald Showers writes "As the unique, eternal being who had no beginning, God is the one who had the wisdom and power to create everything for His own sovereign purpose."....Revelation 4:11 declares that God is worthy to possess the power or authority to rule all of creation because He created “all things” that have been created, and He created them for His own benefit and sovereign purpose. Since God is the one who created the universe and everything in it, and since He created it for His own benefit and sovereign purpose, it all belongs to Him. As Creator, He alone is its legitimate owner; therefore, the right to rule the entire universe is exclusively His, including the right to use His power to crush any enemy who challenges His rule. (BORROW Maranatha, our Lord, come! : a definitive study of the rapture of the church) Danny Akin - God willed it and it happened. God spoke it and it was so. Such a God is worthy of our praise. Such a God is worthy of our worship. The dearest idol I have known, Whate’er that idol be, Help me to tear it from Thy throne, And worship only Thee. --William Cowper Warren