| Vol. V Number 6 | February 11, 2001 |
Revelation 4:1-11
1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
The first verse of Revelation chapter 4 invites John to come up hither. John is being invited to come up higher in heaven. Whereas previous to this John was in a lower part of heaven, now he is being invited to come up higher. This shows that heaven is no small place, but a place of many levels. It also appears that whereas John was caught up to the third heaven in Chapter 1, Now he is invited up higher to be shown not only the throne room of God, but at a level where he will be able to see the future.
This invitation is really more spectacular than being in the throne room of God for John is shown a place that is outside of time. Here he is shown, not told about, what will happen at the end of the age. Here John really gets to see the future. Here John sees the horrors of Nuclear war, and the modern wicked methods that man has devised to destroy the human race. Here John sees armor, aircraft, and cities lit at night by street lamps. This was something totally new to John. Before this time he never saw a car, truck, helicopter, airplane, jet, or a electric street lamp.
Who would have thought just 50 years ago that there would be a industry where men and women would spend their days looking at screens like the following:
Imagine for an instant living 50 years ago and someone telling about a marvelous invention called the computer that will have everyone all over the world connected together through something called the Internet. How many would believe this messenger? How many would believe that there would be a computer in almost every home? I'm talking about the year 1950! In 1950 there was only one working computer in the world with the Mark 1 being developed for the US Navy. These machines filled up an entire city block building basement filled with vacuum tubes that were very hot! Can you imagine a visionary telling people that these machines would reduce in size to sit on top of a desk like a type writer? You must remember that at this time 99% of all typewriters were manual! Most secretaries never even knew about an electric typewriter! Also, 50 years ago there was no such thing a jet travel for a normal person. Just a few fighter pilots had the fortune of flying a jet, and Chuck Yeager was only pilot who flew faster than the speed of sound! Also 50 years ago this picture was impossible!
In 1950 space travel was only the vision of science fiction writers, and anyone saying that in 20 years there would be two men walking on the moon would have been considered a ``crack pot.''
So the apostle John was invited to see what we take for granted! He was invited to see lit city streets, jets, and the era of computerized banking. Though he didn't have the words to describe what he saw, he was still told to write down and describe what he was shown. Here we sit with our computers, monitors, laptops, cars, trucks, and everything else that we take for granted, and John was shown all of these items and was told to describe them.
John never heard of a helicopter, airplane, car, rifle, laser, or satellite. All of the items that we use on a daily basis did not exist or even were dreamed of in John's time.
In verse two John beholds another throne room more spectacular than the one he saw in Chapter 1. as follows:
Revelation 1:12-16
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
Revelation 4
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
In the first chapter we saw the image of Jesus as the Word with a twoedged sword and in chapter four we see another depiction of the Lord as the Lord God almighty with 24 elders around his glorious throne.
3014 E Street Philadelphia, PA 19134 Church Office Phone: (215) 634-3637 Published by: Rev. LeRoy D. Cressy (215) 535-4037
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