A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN
Revelation 4:1-11
HEAVEN AN OPEN DOOR
V:1: After this I looked, and there before me was a door
standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a
trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place
after this."
A. Jesus, our Lord and Savior calls us to Himself.
1. Before the
foundation of the earth we were predestined to be with Jesus.
2. Jesus said to
His disciples, heaven is at hand.
3. Once we
accepted Christ, we are heavenly bound.
B. The door to heaven is open to all believers.
1. At the moment
of our death, we will be absent from the body and present with the
Lord.
2. Just prior to
the tribulation the entire church will be raptured; that is taken up
to be with the Lord.
3. The trumpet may
represent the call to march into heaven.
THE THRONE
OF GOD
V:2-3. " At once I was in the Spirit, and there before
me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and
carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. "
A. Ecclesiastes 3:20-21 says that the body will turn to dust
from which it came and
the spirit will
return to the Lord.
1. We worship the
Lord in spirit and in truth.
2. We know that
God sits on His heavenly throne.
3. This gives us
some enlightment of how the throne may look.
4.The appearance
in the vision of John, gives us the idea that everything in
heaven will be
transparent.
3. There will be
no hidden truths.
B. The rainbow reminds me of the promise God made to Noah
after the flood,
that He would not
destroy the earth by a flood again.
1. Scene is one of
indescribable beauty.
2. There will be
the beauty of peace and eternal joy.
3. I cannot imagine
a time without trials and sorrows.
4. The scene is
unending beauty.
THE COUNCIL
V:4. " Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other
thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white
and had crowns of gold on their heads. "
A. The 24 elders may be like the Sanhedrin council which was
the supreme judicial
and
administration council of the Jews instituted by Moses.
1. Their dress may
represent their purity before the Lord.
2. Their crowns my
represent victory over the trials they went through, and their
perseverance
and dedication to the Lord.
B. Since 12 is the number of tribes of Israel
each tribe.
1. The 24 elders may
represent the families of all nations drawn to Christ.
THE GLORY OF GOD
V:5. " From the throne came flashes of lightning,
rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing.
These are the seven spirits of God."
A. We get a glimpse of the power and majesty of the Lord
when hear thunder and see
lightening across
the sky.
1. Thunder, if
close enough can rattle our home.
2. Lightening if
close enough can set a house on fire and light up the sky.
B. The seven spirits may represent the seven churches listed
in Revelation
chapter one.
1. The seven
spirits may represent the seven fold operation of the Holy Spirit.
Let me suggest
the following:
a. Initiate
the Church Acts 13:1
b. Giving of
gifts to the church Acts 13:1
c. Teacher of
the Word
d. Call out
God's chosen Heb 12:25
e. Equip the
chosen for service Acts 13:9-11
f. Comforter
g. Sealing of
the saints to the day of redemption
A SEA
OF TRUTH
V:6.-7 " Also before the throne there was what looked
like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were
four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7
The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third
had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle."
A. The sea of glass may represent purity and calmness.
1. Those who come
before the Lord are washed in the blood of Jesus.
2. In heaven,
there will be an absent of any turmoil.
3. In heaven there
will only be joy and peace.
B. The four beast may represent the four Gospels.
1. Some suggest
that the four beast represent the four motives of power of the human
soul; reason,
anger, desire and conscience.
2. Others suggest
that the four beast represent the four of the Apostles;
Peter the
lion, James the ox, Matthew the man, Paul the eagle.
3. The four beast
are covered with eyes which may represent their unceasing activity
around the
throne of God.
4. Their many eyes
may also represent the omniscience of the Lord
5. God is aware of
all us all the time.
CONSTANT PRAISE
V:8. " Each of the four living creatures had six wings
and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they
never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to
come."
A. In Isaiah 6:2 the living creature use two of their wings
to cover their face, two to
cover their feet
and two to fly.
1. This may
represent their reverence, humility and obedience.
2. Before the
Lord every knee shall bow.
B. In Heaven, the praise of the Lord will be continuous
without ceasing.
1. Their will be
unceasing knowledge of the power and authority of the Lord.
2. Holy, Holy,
Holy may represent the praise of God the Father, God the Son and
God the Holy
Spirit.
3. Holy, Holy,
Holy may represent the way God deals with man;
creation,
redemption and sanctification.
BOW BEFORE THE LORD
V:9-10. " Whenever the living creatures give glory,
honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on
the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns
before the throne and say: "
A. There will be unity of praise of the Lord in heaven.
1. There will be
position in heaven.
2. The living
creature sing praise and give thanks to the Lord.
B. The elders bow before the Lord and lay their crown before
Him in
humble
submission.
1. The eternal
character of the Lord is praised.
2. He is the
Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the end.
GLORIFY GOD
V:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory
and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were
created and have their being."
A. The Lord we serve is the one true living God.
1. All honor and
glory is due Him.
2. We must be
convicted in our minds the God is the creator of everything.
B. Our existence is dependant on the Lord.
1. Our strength is
dependant on the Lord.
2. All of our
abilities are controlled by the Lord.
3. All honor and
praise is do the Lord.
OUR LORD GOD IS WORTHY OF
PRAISE
Rev M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia
Baptist Church
For more lessons, follow me on facebook and visit my blogs.
revmmitichell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment