A Glimpse Into Heaven

Transcript

GR 1516
02/01/09
A Glimpse into Heaven
Revelation 4:1-3, 5-6
Gil Rugh

We're in the book of Revelation and we come to chapter 4 in our study together. Some time ago I clipped a couple of pages, copies of pages I made out of a forward to an old Puritan work. The forward was written by someone more currently in a reprint they were doing of one of the Puritan's works. He noted this. Sir Robert Grant penned these words in 1833 which were later set to the music of Johann Michael Haydn to become a model hymn for worship.

O worship the king, all glorious above
And gratefully sing His power and His love.
Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

Tragically little of what passes for worship in our day is worthy of a King who is pavilioned in splendor or whose chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form. Rather it is more the worship of a casual friend, a school chum or a teammate. Martin Luther said that in his day men approached God as if He were a shoe clerk apprentice. If that was true in Luther's day, how much more true is it in our own day. I fear we have allowed the laxity of our culture to affect our worship. It is nothing less than the dignity of God Himself that has suffered.

Later he refers to Jeremiah Burrows, his classic work, Jeremiah Burrows being one of the Puritan men in the 17th century, as you are aware. Wrote a great little book, Gospel Worship. We have a reprint of that in our bookstore and I commend it to you highly. He said in his book, Gospel Worship, the reason why people come and worship God in a slight way is they do not see God in His glory.

And that's what's going to happen when we come to Revelation 4 and 5. We are going to see God in His glory. And in that sense it is a unique portion of scripture because indeed we get a glimpse into heaven and the very throne room of God, and it puts everything in proper perspective. As we looked at the list of characteristics of ungodly men in II Timothy 3, it started out with lovers of self. And here you come to a passage like Revelation 4 and we're reminded where the focus is. And when the focus is properly on God and who He is, not some kind of trite view of God, but of the majesty and glory and power and awesomeness of God, then that puts everything else in proper perspective. What happens when we have a distorted view, we put man and creation at the center, we have Romans 1 all over again where we exalt the creation and not the Creator. We worship and serve the creation and not the Creator. And so individuals becomes lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

Reminded of the verse in Isaiah 32:8, I am the Lord, that is My name. I will not give My glory to another. Understand that with all the attitudes that come and go and the insight people think they have and on and on, nothing changes. God is the God of glory and He is jealous for His position and He will not give the glory that is His alone to another. He alone must be honored and worshiped as God.

So everything that is taking place in the world today, and that's where we're going in the book of Revelation to unfold events that have yet to take place on this earth. And in the context of the sovereign God of glory carrying out His purposes, everything down to the minutest detail is moving us according to the plan of the sovereign God. What Revelation 4-5 do is give us a glimpse into the throne room of heaven. And it gives us an insight into the worship of heaven, the focus of the worship of heaven. A beautiful section. But it's not about worship, I mean we learn about worship by what is recorded here and we see something of the worship of the inhabitants of heaven being offered to God who is enthroned in heaven and to His Son in these two chapters. But the purpose of these two chapters is not to instruct us on worship, but it's to prepare the way for the rest of the book of Revelation.

We've come through the section instructing the churches. Now we're going to get ready for the worst time that will even come upon the world. We see what we call natural disasters, and in some of the programs that are available now, they rerun those and you can see. They also project disasters that could come. We have seen nothing like is going to take place in the events that are yet to come upon the world. We see catastrophes that take thousands, could take hundreds of thousands, could take millions of lives. We are moving to where billions of people are going to be destroyed on this earth. An awful time, a violent time, a chaotic time, and yet everything is under control. God sits enthroned in heaven, He is sovereign and rules over all. And He is in total control of the most chaotic events, the most disastrous events that take place.

You'll note how chapter 4 begins, after these things. That indicates we are following a progression. I think it's important for us in our understanding of the book of Revelation to understand we are following a progression, an orderly unfolding of events. So after these things is unfolding for us the things that take place immediately following the events of the churches and the instructions given to the churches.

After these things I looked, and behold a door standing open in heaven. There is a door. It doesn't say the heavens opened and he could see into heaven, but here there is a door open of access for him to be carried in spirit into heaven itself and observe what is going on in heaven, which prepares us for what is going to go on earth and understand that heaven rules, that we don't just go from the time of the churches to Revelation 6. Chapters 4-5 put everything into perspective. The sovereign God who rules and controls all is now about to bring the plan of redemption accomplished through His Son to its appointed conclusion.

So the door is open in heaven, John hears a voice. The first voice which I had heard like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said. The first voice he heard, you turn back to Revelation 1:10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet. John hears that same voice and it's the voice of Christ. As it was in Revelation 1, so here it is, this voice like a trumpet depicts its power, its authority. Like when trumpets are sounded they demand attention. Here He speaks with authority and demands John's attention, and John is summoned, come up here. He is summoned to come up through the door into heaven itself, the very throne room of God, the place where Almighty God manifests His presence in the fullest and clearest way. God is omnipresent, He is present everywhere, but heaven is the place where He manifests His presence in its fullness and clarity for His created beings to see and behold and to worship Him.

Some have connected this point here in time with the rapture of the church where the church will be summoned from earth to heaven. And it is at this time or around this time between chapters 3 and 4 we have the rapture of the church. We'll talk further about that at the end of chapter 5 because we'll tie it to the 70th week of Daniel. The rapture of the church occurs when the ministry to the churches, the ministry of the churches is completed. But I don't think primarily we're talking about the rapture of the church here, although the timing is about the same time. We will see the church in heaven I believe as we look through further in coming weeks into these two chapters.

John has summoned into heaven. What he is summoned into heaven for is to receive new, additional revelation. And he is going to see heaven itself and what is behind everything. And the awesomeness John has had the privilege of, he has had the privilege of walking and ministering with Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry here, spending that last night before the crucifixion, being instructed by Christ in that personal setting, seeing the horror of the crucifixion, the glory of the resurrection, and being privileged to have that time with Christ following His resurrection and before His ascension in Acts 1. Now he is going to be called to heaven to see the very throne room of heaven which Christ left to come to this earth and be born at Bethlehem and where Almighty God has prepared to unfold the climactic events . So great privileges given to John in unfolding Revelation.

What he is going to receive in the way of revelation, come up here and I will show you what must take place after these things. What must take place? There is a divine necessity about what is going to happen. God has determined it will happen, it must take place. And it must take place after these things. Now the first after these things is the beginning of verse 1, moves us along in time, after the revelation concerning the churches. This end of the verse, what must take place after these things, moves us on and reminds us we are in the third and last and major division of the book of Revelation.

Back up to Revelation 1:19, therefore write the things which you have seen. And that's basically chapter 1, if you will, the revelation of the glorified Christ. And the things which are. That's the messages to the churches in chapters 2-3. And the things which will take place after these things. So now we're going to move to things that will take place after the time of the churches. And this is what the rest of the book of Revelation is about, and everything else has prepared us for that. But you understand the church is key here in chapters 2-3, because this is truth given to the church to understand. And we saw some of the promises given to the churches carried us to the time when Christ will return and rule and reign in glory when we get to the end of the revelation given to John.

So you come back to Revelation 4:2. Immediately I was in the Spirit. And this is the same thing we read in Revelation 1:10, we just read it, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and I heard behind me the voice like a trumpet. Now you have a repeat of that. Evidently we had a break after the revelation to the churches, not a long break because the wording here when chapter 4 begins indicates that this happened immediately following. But there is a break. We're into a new phase now and John is summoned in the Spirit and he's been called into heaven. It would indicated John wasn't bodily transported to heaven like we will be at the Rapture, but he is spiritually carried there and with his spiritual eyes he will see and behold these things and be able to write and record them for us in the physical realm. So he was in the Spirit and thus transported.

And behold a throne was standing in heaven and One sitting on the throne. A throne, the book of Revelation is the book of thrones. It uses the word thrones more than twice the times it is used in any other part of our New Testament. In fact here in chapter 4 the word throne is used almost as many times as it is used in all the rest of the New Testament put together. So there is a focus on God's sovereignty, God ruling, God carrying out His purposes. He is the One, if you will, in charge. God is sovereign, and in the book of Revelation a prime portion of the book, and this third major division and the extensive part of the book of Revelation is about God's sovereignty in judgment. We have to understand the throne room scene prepares us for what is going to be unleashed on the earth beginning in chapter 6. And really from chapter 6 to chapter 20 it's judgment, and then there will even be judgment in chapter 20, the Great White Throne judgment. So we have God on the throne here, exercising His sovereignty, but you see something of the awesome wrath of God in His sovereign judgment on an unbelieving world.

The One sitting on the throne, and striking picture here. The throne standing in heaven and there is someone sitting on the throne. And the One sitting on the throne has to be God the Father. It's not Jesus Christ, who has summoned him to come up, and Jesus Christ will be seen in this throne room scene. Really chapter 4 is more about God the Father, chapter 5 will be about God the Son as He is seen in heaven also. And the Spirit will be seen present there as well. He doesn't get the same focus as God the Father does and God the Son. We know that it is God the Father on the throne because of the context of other things. Look down in chapter 5 verse 5, one of the elders said to me, stop weeping. Behold the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, of course referring to Christ, has overcome to open the book and its seven seals. Look down in verse 7, and He came, referring to the Lion, the root of David, Christ, came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. So it has to be God the Father on the throne in heaven because here God the Son comes and receives a book, a scroll out of His hand. So we know that it is God the Father there.

Over in Revelation 6:16, they said to the mountains and to the rocks, fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. So again the distinction made here between the Father and the Son. The Father is the One on the throne here, but the Son acting together with Him. And it will be the wrath of God the Father and the wrath of God the Son being poured out on the world during this seven-year period that climaxes with Armageddon. Over in Revelation 7:10, they cry out salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. Again, the distinguishing between the One on the throne and the Lamb.

Back in Revelation 4. The Holy Spirit also mentioned at the end of verse 5 where there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And we'll see that in our next study, the reference to the Holy Spirit. So we have the triune God present as you would expect in the throne room of heaven. The Father sitting on the throne, the Son present, and the Holy Spirit present. I think it's interesting and striking that we are reminded here in heaven we will see not only God the Son, but we will see the manifestation of God the Father's presence and God the Spirit's presence. He doesn't go into the kind of detail that we might desire to describe Him, but he clearly sees Him enthroned, sees Him with form. As we saw, Christ in chapter 5 will come and take a book out of His right hand, the One who sits on the throne. So there will be the manifestation of the Father and His presence in heaven as well as God the Son. We think of passages like John 1:18, no man has seen God at any time, the only begotten God who was in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. And God is a Spirit, John 4:24, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth. But you understand when we are transported to heaven, we will see God the Father enthroned, as well as God the Son. We will see the Holy Spirit present in a visible manifested way that the creation will be able to see Him. We don't see Him now and our physical bodies with their limitations, but we are transported there and completed and we will see Him, the triune God. One God eternally existing in three persons, manifested with their distinction and yet one God. We will have things to learn for all eternity.

Look at verse 3, 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. You know, this is John. You could not find a human being on earth who enjoyed a closer relationship in ministry with Jesus than John. He is the one who was reclining on Christ's chest at the Last Supper. And you see John doesn't come, that's why I read the comments about sometimes our attitudes are rather casual in our worship of God. Here is John brought into heaven and it's not, good buddy, it's good to see you. I mean, this is an awesome scene. We saw in chapter 1 when he saw Christ Himself in His resurrected and glorified body, he fell on his face like a dead man. Now he is transported to heaven, a man so honored by God that he writes the gospel of John, that he writes the epistles of John, that he is the one chosen to be the human penman for the book of Revelation. Yet when he is brought to heaven, it is not a casual and informal scene. This is God the Father on the throne of His glory and the splendor of it, and the description that he gives. There is brilliant light that encompasses the throne and it's reflected from like precious stones. We have that description. He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance.

Now Revelation 21:11 refers to the jasper stone and this is with the New Jerusalem coming out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal clear jasper. Now I just mention that because our present day jasper stone doesn't fit this, it's not crystal clear. It's a clouded stone. So the crystal clear jasper as the Bible has it is more like what we would have as our modern diamond, its clarity. And so the clearness of it, reflected here. The sardius is a deep, fiery red in color. It seems that these two together portray God's holiness. Crystal clear, the light is reflecting out, it's like a diamond, God's holiness, His purity. And His justice with the sardius stone, a deep fiery red in color, would seem to be both His holiness and His justice. It characterizes His throne. There obviously is a reason why the manifestation is in this kind of setting with these kinds of colors and stones present.

There is also a rainbow around the throne like an emerald in appearance. I would take it since he's talking about a rainbow, that would carry us back to Genesis 9, after the flood of Noah, and see what does the rainbow signify, what's the purpose of the rainbow? Why there is something described like a rainbow encompassing around the throne. Verse 16, what did the rainbow when it was instituted for earth signify? When the bow is in the cloud then I will look upon it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. God said to Noah, this is the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth. And that was a reminder of His covenant in verse 15, that He would never again destroy the earth by water. And even in the destruction of the earth there will be a preservation of the earth.

And this rainbow which is emerald green in color is a reminder of God's mercy. Even in this awful devastating judgment that is about to be unleashed on the earth, and is will be as close as could come in the expression that is sometimes used casually, hell on earth, where the fury of God is poured out on a sinful world. There will be mercy, there will be people saved during that time. The nation Israel will ultimately be brought to its knees as a result of the devastating judgment and prepared to receive Christ as their Messiah. So a reminder here to behold the throne of God, it's a throne of holiness, it's a throne of justice, and in it all there is mercy. And you and I can appreciate the mercy that even in the judgment poured out on the earth we will hear from the martyrs, those who have become believers and given their lives in testimony for Christ.

Back to Revelation, there are some other passages but we're going to save them until the end and look at them together. We're going to skip verse 4, we're just going to look at the description related to the throne. The beings, twenty-four elders, the seven spirits of God at the end of verse 5, the four living creatures at the end of verse 6, we're going to leave that out. So we're going to look at verse 5, the first statement, and the first statement of verse 6. Then we will come back in our next study and look at the beings that are present there. And who they are, and the role they are playing.

So verse 5, out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. I mean, it's an awesome picture, the glory and majesty of God. You know, here comes John to heaven, there is no time of informality here, if I can use that word. He beholds the Father on the throne, the One who has provided his redemption, called him to Himself, made him His own special possession, using him in such great ways. John beholds the throne, and out from the throne come thunder and lightning. And of course these portray God's awesome power and glory as He prepares to bring judgment on a sinful world. So striking scene preparing John for what he is about to see, what is going to take place on the earth.

Then you jump down to verse 6, and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass like crystal. A sea of glass like crystal in the center around the throne. So it's a sea of glass, it looks like crystal. We're not told what its importance is but most take it at least to indicate that it portrays the separateness of God from His creation. As we say, He is God and we are not. And so this sea of glass like crystal around the throne marks God off from His creation that gathers there. He is alone enthroned and exalted. Again, the Spirit is present there, the Son is present there. But the focus is on the Father and as we have talked in other studies, there is order within the Godhead. There eternally has been order in the Godhead. It is part of the very nature of God as God. The Son is God as the Father is God as the Spirit is God. But there is order within the persons of the Godhead, and here we see again the Father enthroned.

I just want to go back and read a few portions of scripture with you beginning in Exodus 19, that can give us an appreciation of what John has seen. Other occasions where individuals were ushered into the presence of God, and you'll see similarities in the descriptions. Exodus 19 is on Mt. Sinai where Moses will receive the Law from God. Verse 16, so it came about on the third day when it was morning there were thunder and lightning flashes. We just saw this in heaven, coming out from the throne of God, the thunder and the lightning. And a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet sound. Again, the voice that called John through the door into heaven was a voice like the trumpet. All the people who were in the camp trembled. You see we lose so much in our appreciation of God and our worship of God and our relationship to Him. We make is such a casual affair. We think we are making God more personal, what we are doing is reducing Him to just more of a good friend, someone we can be rather casual about. We are privileged to have a relationship of intimacy with God, it's always in the context of reverence. Here what do the people of God do? They tremble.

Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mt. Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire, smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace. The whole mountain quaked violently. And then the warning that no one can come any closer except those whom God summons. And you see the awesome setting here.

Come over to Isaiah 6, one of the most familiar passages because here you see Christ enthroned in His preincarnate state. But you have a similar scene, the throne room of heaven. Verse 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. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings. We'll see these heavenly creatures as we move on in our future studies. Each having six wings, with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, with two he flew. Then one called out to another and said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory. The foundations of the threshold trembled at the voice of Him who called out while the temple was filling with smoke. What an awesome scene. What's the impact upon Isaiah? Woe is me, I am ruined. I am a man of unclean lips, I live among a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.

It's going to be a wonderful time when we are assembled before the throne of God in heaven, but you understand it will be a time of reverence and awe. Not that casual informalness that we think is so appealing. I don't mean there won't be intimacy and closeness, won't be a coldness there. This will be our heavenly Father, this will be the Savior that loved us and died for us, but you understand He will always be God and we will always be the creation. We will always bow in worship of Him, we will always honor Him as God. And so here the impact on Isaiah.

Look over in Ezekiel 1. The whole chapter is a descriptive one of a heavenly scene and God's throne. But look at verse 1, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. So here it's not that he comes through a door in heaven, but the heavens roll back for him in a vision to behold God. Verse 4, I looked, behold a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing. That's what we talk about in the song, God of the north, from passages like this. Coming from the north a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually, like the lightning that we see. A bright light around it, God dwells in unapproachable light, God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. In the midst something like glowing metal, in the midst of a fire. Down to verse 22, and over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal spread out over their heads. Down to verse 26, 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 and up was a figure with the appearance of a man. Then I noticed from the appearance of his loins and upwards something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around it. From the appearance of his loins and downward I saw something like fire. There was a radiance around Him. The appearance of a 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. When I saw it I fell on my face.

Again, what a reminder. These great men of God, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, while they are in the presence of God there is an awe. It's overwhelming. We sometimes reduce our worship so the most degenerate unbeliever can be comfortable in the presence of God. Now if that is not a statement of nonsense, to make godless and unredeemed people comfortable in the presence of God. I mean, we as believers ought not to be confused. This is the God we come to worship in awe. Every day we worship and serve Him with awe and reverence, in wonder that we should be privileged to call Him Father, to walk in fellowship with Him, to be a temple for His Holy Spirit. I must be careful we don't forget, we don't cross the line to think He is just like us. God condemns the people in the Old Testament, you thought I was like you. Big mistake. He is God, we are His creation and even as the redeemed of His creation He is still God and we are the creation.

One more passage, Daniel 7:9, I kept looking until thrones were set up and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His vesture was like white snow, the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire. A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him. Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, myriads upon myriads were standing before Him. The court sat, the books were opened. That's God the Father on the throne, because down in verses 13-14 God the Son comes and receives the kingdom from God the Father. Awesome description again, overwhelming description. Verse 15, as for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me. The visions in my mind kept alarming me. I mean, this view of the living God is awesome and overwhelming.

When we come to prepare for what is about to unfold, beginning with Revelation 6, understand the sovereign God rules. You understand He is enthroned just like that today. We need to be mindful we are His servants, about His work. And we will be called before this throne someday, we will give an account. Awesome. We should fuss or fret? This is my God, He rules over all. The worst events that will ever take place on this earth will take place under His control, according to His perfect plan. We should worry? We should be concerned? My God rules over all, every detail of my life, every trial, every tragedy, every blessing. The One who is enthroned in the heavens is in charge and we of all people ought to be manifesting the reverence and the awe and the passion in our service for Him, knowing that He is God and we are privileged to serve as His representatives.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for even the brief glimpse we have had of the glory of your presence. Lord, awesome and overwhelming, more than a little intimidating. But the wonder of it is that you are our God, you are our heavenly Father, you have loved us, you have redeemed us for yourself and we are privileged to come into your presence, to talk with you, to commune with you before the awesome throne of your glory and we are received all because your Son is our Savior. Lord, the trials and turmoil of this life, the confusion of this world, the tragedies that overtake it, the tragedies that are yet before it, Lord, they hold no fear for us. We reverence you, our God. We are confident in your control over everything. We are secure in your purposes for us, each one of individually. What an awesome truth that someday we will gather in your presence, we will behold the glory that John saw. May we live in light of that, may it control us in all we do. We pray in Christ's name, amen.