In many people's lives today, the common sound is the sound of yelling and screaming, the sound of complaining, the sound of confusion, the sound of despair or the sound of frustration. However, in
sound of heaven is always a sound of rejoicing, joyful celebration and thanksgiving because it is there that you are truly in the presence of the Lord. The sound of Heaven brings us immediately into the Spirit. The sound of Heaven brings us before the throne of God. I believe that many of us desperately need to hear the sound of heaven in our personal lives as well as in the church.
Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 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."
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, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
"Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength."
Here again, is the Lord Jesus Christ that speaks with this loud, trumpet-like, commanding and authoritative clear voice. The voice gives John a command that is specific. "Come up here and I will show you what must take place after these things." After the time of the church, there are some things that are going to happen, and I want to show you what those things are.
As I said earlier, many interpret this as the church going up, I don’t believe this is the church going up, because John is not going up for the purpose of glorification, but for the purpose of revelation. I believe that this is John is taking this unique trip, and he’s taking us along with him. From chapter 4 through chapter 22, is all the discussion of what will happen after the church age.
However, as I said it is curious and should certainly be noted that from chapter 4, verse 1, on through the remainder of this book, the church is never mentioned. So, I believe that we can assume here that the church is out of the picture.Which, by the way, seems to fit that the Lord is going to show John things that happen after matters concerning the church. I believe that it is entirely possible that the Rapture must occur before these things begin to take place, John is describing humanity without the presence of church. The church is not mentioned again until chapter 19, at which time we see they are referred to as the Saints being in heaven.
In verse 2, we come to the central theme, which is the throne. The word throne is used thirteen times in eleven verses. Eleven of those times, it speaks of the throne of God, and twice it speaks of thrones occupied by the twenty-four elders. And, in from here through the end of the book, the word throne is used nearly forty times.
"Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne."
Like the Apostle Paul recorded in II Corinthians, John is being taken out of this world and into some kind of transcendent ecstatic state. This is a miraculous spiritual condition produced by the Holy Spirit. This throne is in heaven and this kingdom does not belong to this present world, it is totally transcendent over all—it is divine and belongs to eternity. Here, John sees the very throne of God. As a footnote, a throne is the symbol and the seat of power, authority, and dominion.
Therefore, the throne John saw was a symbol of sovereign rule and sovereign authority. It is in a temple associated with worship and godly holiness. The dwelling place of holy God who is to be worshiped and adored. The idea here, is that this is immovable, its something set. At the time that John is writing this, believers were being persecuted regularly and to keep safe, they were constantly moving from one location to another. In heaven, John is seeing the Ruler of everything seated on a throne that does not move. This is a fixed and permanent throne occupied by God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 47 says, "For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with a skillful psalm. God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne."
And, in Psalm 113:4-6, "The Lord is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God,
Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in heaven and in the earth?"
This is very important because the way things are going to go, somebody may think God had lost control, I want to point this out before we get into the horrors and the terrible and fearful things that happen in the end time, let it be known that the throne is set and fixed and God is on it! The God, Who is the sovereign of the universe in charge. He is sitting, which indicates the posture of reigning. Though John doesn’t tell us the name of the One there. I believe that it is immediately obvious who is on the throne.
In Isaiah 6, Isaiah in his vision, saw the very same throne. "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: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,
The whole earth is full of His glory."
The description in verse 3, tells us all we need to know. "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."
Jasper stone is mentioned here, which is crystal clear, therefore, it is best to see this as a term that describes a precious, flawless diamond, refracting all the colors of the spectrum in unbelievable brilliance. John says the one sitting was not only like a jasper stone but like a sardius. By the way, the church in Sardis was named for the stone. The stone was a blood-red ruby stone, fiery bright. It speaks of the blazing, fiery nature of God’s wrath and fury.
This is not a peaceful vision, it is not comforting, but a wrathful, and frightening experience. In Exodus 28, we see that jasper and the sardius were the first and last stones on the breastplate of the high priest. They represent the first and the last of the tribes of Israel; namely, Reuben, the firstborn, represented by the jasper; and Benjamin, the last born, represented by the sardius. These two stones also speak of the fact that God in His covenant has not forgotten His promise to Israel. That He will fulfill His covenant.
John's description of a rainbow that surrounds the throne and shines like an emerald. All of a sudden, out of the fury in the flashing, brilliant, glowing, white and red flames, the coolness of green seems to capture John. The rainbow is a sign of God’s faithfulness, that He will never again destroy the world by water again. God is faithful to His Word, He is faithful to His promise, and He is faithful to His covenant. Judgment never overrules His promise. God will be merciful to His own. God will be gracious. God will keep His promise.
A rainbow is made up of the seven colors of the spectrum. This could be a special kind of rainbow, or perhaps green was dominant color. We don't know. The rainbow shines, but not as a warning sign depicting danger of any kind; it shines as the perpetual light of grace and mercy and love, encouraging us to come even closer.
John's unbelievable description surrounding the throne, gets even more fascinating. But we will get to that next time. So, you'll have to come back for that.
In Closing..
What an amazing scene we have in heaven! From the throne comes flashes of lightning, voices resounding like trumpet. Oh the magnificence and holiness of God. All these honors and dignities God has invited us to behold. What an overwhelming, glorious sight.
I don’t pretend to know what struggles or fears you face, but I tell you this, we need to take this to heart, there is an unchangeable sovereign God, who reigns from His throne.
In the days in which we live, it may seem as though the forces of darkness are in charge, but nothing could farther from the truth. God is on His throne and He forgets not His own.
Allow me to remind you, that you cannot serve God and this world. You can not have two masters. So, I strongly encourage you to chose this day whom you will serve. Will you be left behind or will you take this opportunity to be right with God? What you do with Jesus today, will determine what Jesus will do with you then!
As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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