1 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:08,520 In Revelation 119, the Lord Jesus Christ instructed the 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:13,600 apostle to write down three main things. 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:19,000 The first are the things that you have seen, the things that 4 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:23,280 you have seen, John, which he faithfully records in chapter 1. 5 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,520 Following that, he said write down the things that are, the 6 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:34,720 things that are, which he covers in chapters 2 and 3, addressing 7 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,280 the spiritual condition of seven ancient churches. 8 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:44,280 And lastly, Jesus asked John and commanded John really to write 9 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:48,440 down those things that will take place after this. 10 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:55,240 And those things surely begin to unfold in chapter 4 and beyond. 11 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,840 And many have observed that Jesus instruction in that verse 12 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,920 divide the Book of Revelation into three main sections. 13 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:10,800 And where we are today will be the beginning of the final and 14 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,240 longest part of this marvelous book. 15 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:16,640 So I invite you now to turn with me to the Book of Revelation 16 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,880 chapter 4. And we are going to read this 17 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:25,600 chapter in its entirety. Now listen as you do this with 18 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,920 me, do not allow yourself to get distracted. 19 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:30,520 I know it's a little warm in here. 20 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,480 It might be like this for a little bit, but focus. 21 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,520 Do you know why we must focus? Because we've been told in the 22 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,160 beginning of this book that there is a special blessing for 23 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:45,160 those who read aloud the words of this prophecy and who hear 24 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,840 them. So don't allow anything to 25 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,120 interfere with your hearing at this moment. 26 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,280 Revelation chapter 4, beginning in verse one. 27 00:01:55,560 --> 00:02:01,000 After this I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven. 28 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:05,040 And the first voice which I heard speaking to me like a 29 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,919 trumpet said, Come up here and I will show you what must take 30 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,840 place after this. At once I was in the spirit and 31 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,880 behold the throne stood in heaven with one seated on the 32 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,600 throne and he was sat there had the appearance of Jasper and 33 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,240 carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the 34 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,120 appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were 24 35 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,360 Thrones and seated on the Thrones were 24 elders clothed 36 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,880 in white garments with golden crowns on their heads. 37 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,480 From the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and 38 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:40,480 peals of Thunder. And before the throne were 39 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,800 burning 7 torches of fire which are the seven spirits of God. 40 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,920 And before the throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like 41 00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:51,920 crystal. And around the throne, on each 42 00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:55,320 side of the throne, are four living creatures full of eyes in 43 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,160 front and behind. The first living creature like a 44 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:02,640 lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living 45 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:06,040 creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature 46 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:09,720 like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, 47 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,080 each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and 48 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:19,120 within, and day and night they never cease to say Holy, holy, 49 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:24,400 holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. 50 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,280 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor 51 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,760 and thanks to them, who is seated on the throne, who lives 52 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,640 forever and ever? The 24 elders fall down before 53 00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:35,840 him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives 54 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,800 forever and ever. They cast their crowns before 55 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,160 the throne, saying, Worthy are you, O Lord our Lord and God, to 56 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,640 receive glory, honor, and honor and power. 57 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,800 For you created all things, and by your will they existed and 58 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:55,600 were created. Revelation chapter 4 is a 59 00:03:55,600 --> 00:04:01,800 theological bridge that connects the condition of the church and 60 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:06,840 the calamities that are prepared to be unleashed on the earth in 61 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,160 preparation for the return of Jesus Christ. 62 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:16,200 Now in these 11 verses that we just read, the word throne 63 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:21,640 appears a total of 14 times and 12 of those times referenced 64 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:26,840 directly the throne of God. So it's so obvious what the Holy 65 00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:29,800 Spirit wants to bring into our focus, isn't it? 66 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,880 As much as we might be tempted to examine and decode the 67 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:39,360 details, the text continually draws our attention back to 1 68 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:46,360 main thing, the throne of God. Now, it's no mystery to us to 69 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:52,120 know what a throne symbolizes. It speaks of authority, 70 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:58,960 sovereignty, power, kingship, and judgment. 71 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:03,760 And that is exactly what the Holy Spirit wants to bring into 72 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:10,040 our vision at this time. The divine authority, God's 73 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:16,720 unmatched power, His unstoppable rule, His holy justice. 74 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,480 And when you think about it, it makes perfect sense why this is 75 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,840 taking place here. Why mention this now? 76 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:31,640 Why this vision right here? Remember, Chapter 4 is a hinge 77 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,880 point. It's a bridge of the description 78 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:40,720 of the generally discouraging state of the Church and the 79 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,680 series of judgments that will be poured out upon the earth 80 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:47,320 leading up to the culmination of the age. 81 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:54,840 It's as though the Lord wants us to be reminded so strongly and 82 00:05:54,840 --> 00:05:59,200 vividly about His sovereignty, no matter which direction you 83 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:06,440 look, lest you and I become fatigued by the faithlessness of 84 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:10,680 Christians in some ministries. Unless we might fall into the 85 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,480 temptation of being paralyzed by fear as we consider the 86 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:19,680 apocalyptic events and the rising evil that will intensify 87 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:25,520 as we approach the end, we are called to remember how God is 88 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:30,120 enthroned above it all. He is seated on the throne. 89 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:37,840 And when I was meditating on this yesterday, I believe that 90 00:06:37,840 --> 00:06:42,760 there are at least six truths concerning the throne of God 91 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:48,320 that will strengthen your faith and mine if we wholeheartedly 92 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:52,160 embrace these truths and apply them to our lives. 93 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:56,240 The overarching point of the passage is no matter which 94 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,560 direction you look, you look at the church, you go, what's going 95 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:01,240 on there? You look at the world, you say, 96 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:05,800 what's going on here, Look up at the sovereignty of God above 97 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:10,640 everything. But more specifically, what is 98 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,720 it about the throne of God that should move us and anchor us and 99 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:18,080 make us immovable, make us Worshipful, even though 100 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,800 everything around us seems to give us reasons not to worship? 101 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,000 Let's consider 6 things, shall we? 102 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,560 The first thing that I want us to consider about the throne of 103 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:28,640 God. And remember, when I'm talking 104 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:30,640 about the throne, I'm not talking about the actual seat. 105 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,280 What the seat represents His authority, His sovereignty, His 106 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:36,040 power, His judgement, His Holiness. 107 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:38,640 Oh, if you're a note taker, this will be helpful. 108 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,200 The first thing that we must consider about the throne of God 109 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:46,080 is that the throne of God is in heaven. 110 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:48,560 Look again at verse one and two with me. 111 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:51,800 After this I looked, and behold the door standing open in 112 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,320 heaven, and the first voice which I heard speaking to me 113 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,560 like a trumpet, said, Come up here, and I will show you what 114 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,080 must take place after this. At once I was in the spirit. 115 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:05,800 And behold, in other words, look at this, a throne stood in 116 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,160 heaven, with one seated on the throne. 117 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:16,080 Now there are some who would interpret the words of John and 118 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:23,480 his experience of a heavenly session ascension to define a 119 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,280 symbolic representation of a pre tribulation rapture. 120 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,360 That John here represents a church. 121 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:34,799 And noting here that this invitation that come up came 122 00:08:34,799 --> 00:08:37,559 after the description of the condition of the churches and 123 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:41,360 before the wrath of God was poured out on the earth, a case 124 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:45,080 is often made. It's also worth noting that the 125 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,880 word church will never appear from this point forward until 126 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,360 the very end of the Book of Revelation. 127 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:57,400 And with that somewhat add that it's quite telling that the 128 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,880 voice that called John upward was like that of a trumpet, 129 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,800 echoing the imagery that Paul gives in First Thessalonians 4 130 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:09,880 when he describes the swift events of the catching away of 131 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:14,080 the church in the air to meet our Lord above. 132 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:19,960 I'm sure we're all very much willing to debate the timing of 133 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,680 the rapture. But again, that's not the point 134 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:28,120 of the passage, is it? Our our eyes are drawn back to 135 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,920 the throne of God, and we'll have plenty time in Revelation 136 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:36,120 to discuss the timing of certain things. 137 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:38,560 The throne of God is what's in view. 138 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:42,200 And the first thing that he sees about this throne is that it 139 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:45,640 stands in heaven. Now that might seem like an 140 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:49,720 obvious truth. God's throne is where God lives, 141 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:55,040 or at least he is most obvious, His abode in heaven. 142 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:57,320 So why are we even being told this? 143 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,800 Well, because when you understand God's throne being in 144 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:05,840 heaven, the implications are absolutely massive. 145 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:11,960 Let me read this verse to you. In Psalm one O 3, verse 19, the 146 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:16,360 Lord has established His throne in the heavens and His Kingdom 147 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:21,440 rules over all. So what are you to make of this? 148 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:26,080 The reality of God's throne being established in heaven 149 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:29,960 declares that there is not one corner in all of the universe 150 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:32,520 that is untouched by His sovereign rule. 151 00:10:33,680 --> 00:10:35,960 That's what the psalmist says. His throne is in the heavens, 152 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:40,480 which implies what His Kingdom rules over all. 153 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,760 So his governance sits above the galaxies. 154 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,160 It stretches beyond the countless stars. 155 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:51,920 It extends even to planets yet to be discovered. 156 00:10:53,560 --> 00:10:57,680 It scans from sky to sky. It watches over every mountain 157 00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:00,360 peak. It hovers over the oceans. 158 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:06,920 And there is not one major city or hidden village that can 159 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:13,400 escape His decree. Fact. 160 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:19,680 There is not one throne in all of human history that is not 161 00:11:19,680 --> 00:11:25,160 stood in the transcendent shadow of this one supreme, eternal 162 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:28,840 throne. God's throne is in heaven. 163 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,560 You know, as I was looking at this early yesterday morning, I 164 00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:36,240 couldn't help but think of another throne that's mentioned 165 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:37,640 earlier in the Book of Revelation. 166 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:43,360 Do you remember where we are told Satan's throne was located 167 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,520 at this time? Let's refresh our memories. 168 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,360 Go to chapter 2 and look at verse 12. 169 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,040 And to the Angel, the church in Pergamum, right? 170 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:56,880 The words of him who has the sharp 2 edged sword. 171 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,440 I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. 172 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:05,840 Isn't that interesting? So Satan's throne is in 173 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:12,120 Pergamum, while God's throne is in the heaven of heavens. 174 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:15,480 What are we to make of this? It's so obvious, is it not? 175 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:20,120 It's a staggering illustration of just how much greater our God 176 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:23,760 is than the devil himself and all his hordes of demons. 177 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,880 Don't you dare make the mistake of thinking that the devil is 178 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:32,360 just a little less powerful than God. 179 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:35,880 He is significantly less powerful than God. 180 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,440 God's throne is in the heavens, and at this time Satan made his 181 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,200 headquarters in a particular city. 182 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:48,520 How pathetic to even dare to compare the devil to our God. 183 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:53,640 And while you and I may be overwhelmed by the injustice 184 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:58,400 carried out by evil men who sit on powerful Thrones, you can 185 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:02,800 never afford to lose sight of the fact that God ultimately 186 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,120 supervises the affairs of our world. 187 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,080 His Kingdom rules over all from the beginning to the end of 188 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:13,760 human history. And we do, you and I good to 189 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,120 remember that God can never be voted out. 190 00:13:16,680 --> 00:13:20,200 He can never be replaced. No one can ever usurp his 191 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:21,840 position. The fact that it's in heaven 192 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:27,080 means it's eternal. He remains the King forever and 193 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,760 ever. Well, how does that work for you 194 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:32,840 and I? Well, Isaiah had a similar 195 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:37,000 experience in Isaiah 6-1, in the year that King Uzziah died. 196 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,320 What happened? I saw the Lord sitting upon a 197 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:43,560 throne. So with all this shifts, how 198 00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:51,640 relevant is this in governments and geopolitics and laws and all 199 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:55,040 these things that seem to be wreaking havoc around us? 200 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,960 Both John and Isaiah tell us, look up and realize who sits 201 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:04,200 upon the throne in heaven. Interpret every news headline, 202 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:09,920 every shock, every conspiracy that you hear with this glorious 203 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:13,360 picture. God sits upon a heavenly throne. 204 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:19,200 Number one. God's throne is in heaven #2 #2 205 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:20,720 the second truth about God's throne. 206 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,720 God's throne is gloriously grand. 207 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,080 Gloriously grand. Look at verse 3, the beginning 208 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,800 part at least. And he who sat there had the 209 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:34,320 appearance of Jasper and carnelian, and around the throne 210 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,880 was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 211 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,800 Isn't it remarkable that the only way that John could 212 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:47,600 describe the beauty of God and where he sat was to attribute to 213 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,320 it precious stones, valuable stones. 214 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:56,120 Now, as you can imagine, there are many who try to help us 215 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,920 understand what these jewels represent, some aspects of His 216 00:14:59,920 --> 00:15:01,760 attributes and His character and nature. 217 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,120 I'm sure you can do that, but I'd like to take all these 218 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:10,160 jewels as a unit. When considering the combination 219 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:12,880 of what we have, Jasper and carnelian and emerald. 220 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,000 You're supposed to understand that what's being highlighted 221 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:22,480 here is the abundance of God's riches, and now He is the owner 222 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:29,400 of everything. How opulent, how rich, how 223 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:33,680 abundant. And it's not difficult to 224 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:37,560 recognize in your Bible that these authors, inspired by the 225 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:43,800 Holy Spirit, often associate God's power, God's majesty, 226 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:49,680 God's sovereignty, with the fact that everything in heaven and 227 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:54,320 under heaven is owned by him. He owns it all. 228 00:15:55,760 --> 00:16:00,040 So let me give you an example of the words that David chose to 229 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,280 give to the Lord when blessing him in the preparation of the 230 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:05,800 building of the temple. Listen to these words. 231 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:07,400 You don't have to turn there unless you'd like to. 232 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:14,360 In First Chronicles, 2911 to 12. First Chronicles 2911 to 12. 233 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:19,720 Notice what David says. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness 234 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:23,880 and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty. 235 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,080 Pause. Isn't that what we're looking at 236 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,320 in Revelation 4? Yes, but it continues. 237 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:34,920 For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. 238 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,920 Yours is the Kingdom, O Lord, and you were exalted as Head 239 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,320 above all. Both riches and honor come from 240 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:47,240 you, and you rule over all. In Your hand our power and 241 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:50,520 might, and in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength 242 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:54,480 to all. In case you didn't get it, 243 00:16:55,960 --> 00:17:00,600 listen to what God Himself says about Himself in Job 4111. 244 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:05,160 Listen to this Who has first given to me that I should repay 245 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:08,160 Him Translation. Can you imagine anybody that's 246 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:12,480 ever I've ever borrowed from. Can you imagine at any time in 247 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:15,680 history where I took a loan? No, of course not. 248 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:16,839 Why? Look at the last part of the 249 00:17:16,839 --> 00:17:19,359 verse. Whatever is under the whole 250 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:24,319 heaven is mine. It's all mine, everything. 251 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,240 And so you see, the radiance of of God's throne communicates 252 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:33,880 that he is not only incomparably beautiful, that he's also 253 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:39,600 inexhaustibly resourceful. He owns everything and the 254 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:43,640 source of all blessings, material or spiritual, come from 255 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:49,720 him. OK, preacher, I have a question. 256 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,120 How does that help me? I'll tell you how helps you. 257 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:57,320 The same God who sits on this glamorous, luxurious throne is 258 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:01,360 your Father. And I'm reminded of the promise 259 00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:04,400 that Paul made to the Philippians when he said in that 260 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:10,840 famous verse in Philippians 419, My God will supply every need of 261 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:15,440 yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 262 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:19,000 He will supply. He will do it. 263 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,600 Have you seen his throne? Have you seen the decoration? 264 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:28,360 Have you seen the light? Have you seen the beauty and the 265 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:32,600 context of Paul's words specifically addresses material 266 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,560 needs? If you ever find yourself 267 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:39,800 doubting God's ability to provide for you practically or 268 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:46,720 physically, have you ever thought about his throne, What 269 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,840 he sits upon? He's your father. 270 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,080 God's throne is gloriously grand. 271 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:56,200 I'm sure more can be said about these jewels. 272 00:18:56,200 --> 00:19:00,920 Well, let's just leave it at that and come to number 3 point 273 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:07,720 #3 truth #3 about God's throne. God's throne is faithful. 274 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:11,440 Look at the second part of verse 3. 275 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,560 What does He say? That around the throne was a 276 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:21,280 rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 277 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:26,600 A rainbow, of all things. A rainbow. 278 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:30,960 And you are a careful student of the Old Testament. 279 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:34,720 You know that in Genesis 9, God created the rainbow and 280 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:38,880 established it as a sign of a covenant of His mercy and 281 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:44,080 compassion toward all humanity, namely in the promise that He 282 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:49,640 would never destroy mankind by way of a flood. 283 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:58,040 And that symbol, for whatever reason, does not only appear in 284 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:03,480 the clouds after it rains, but is found surrounding the throne 285 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:07,520 of God. And I thought to myself, why is 286 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,000 that? And I think the answer is quite 287 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:15,840 obvious, to provide an eternal reminder of God's mercy even as 288 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:23,560 He executes judgment. That though He is perfectly just 289 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:29,920 and perfectly holy, anything that He decrees is always guided 290 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:35,560 by His faithful promises. In other words, you and I have 291 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:40,680 no reason to ever worry that the fury of God's wrath will ever 292 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:46,440 cancel any of His promises, especially those promises that 293 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:51,240 assure our preservation and our protection and our status before 294 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,480 God. As God sits on this glorious 295 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:59,960 throne, it is surrounded by a visual reminder of His 296 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:05,520 faithfulness, A faithfulness pertaining to His mercy and 297 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:11,920 grace and long-suffering. Imagine the kind of fear you and 298 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:16,080 I would have to try to manage if we were given even the slightest 299 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:22,040 impression that this God, who is all powerful and owns all 300 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:27,280 things, can at any moment forget His promise or break a vow. 301 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,640 What kind of terror would you and I live in? 302 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:40,560 All hope would be lost. Instead, our hope is 303 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:44,280 strengthened because we come up with John to the throne room of 304 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:48,640 God and we realize that there's a rainbow around it, realizing 305 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,720 that God's covenant that he made listen to this in Genesis is 306 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:56,440 upheld even in Revelation. What God said in the beginning 307 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:58,600 of the book, he still remembered at the end of his book. 308 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,120 Anything that he has ever promised, anything that he's 309 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:09,240 ever pledged, he keeps. He holds on to his trustworthy 310 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:13,240 is ever alive, ever alive and well. 311 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,400 And I wonder if that's the reason why this rainbow, Did you 312 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,160 notice that I had a hue of green? 313 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:23,040 The appearance of a rainbow, yes, which also had the 314 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:27,320 appearance of an emerald. Now, an emerald is a precious 315 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:31,760 gemstone that is known for its deep, rich green color. 316 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,720 And I can't help but wonder if this color is used. 317 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:39,560 It was highlighted by God in order to emphasize the 318 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:45,160 liveliness of His faithfulness. It's fresh, it's there, it never 319 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:50,600 grows stale. It's ever true, ever present. 320 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:55,040 God's throne is faithful because the one who sits upon it is 321 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:59,280 faithful. We come to the 4th reality of 322 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,000 God's throne. This one excites me. 323 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:06,400 Let's read it together in Revelation 4 and verse 4. 324 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,840 Around the throne were 24 Thrones, and seated on the 325 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:15,360 Thrones were 24 elders clothed in white garments with the 326 00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:20,680 golden crowns on their heads. The 4th truth about God's throne 327 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:24,400 is that it is accessible. It is accessible. 328 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,320 So God's throne is in heaven. We know that God's throne is 329 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,360 gloriously grand. We know that God's throne is 330 00:23:30,360 --> 00:23:32,840 faithful. But fourthly, God's throne is 331 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:36,400 accessible. Naturally, we are inclined to 332 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:40,880 wonder, who are these 24 elders? And there is no little debate 333 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:45,120 about who they are. And the center of the debate is 334 00:23:45,120 --> 00:23:48,400 on whether these elders are angels or if they are human 335 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:50,880 beings. I think you can answer that 336 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:54,520 quite easily. Why? 337 00:23:55,760 --> 00:24:01,200 For a few reasons #1 Elders in the Bible are never attributed 338 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,480 to angels. There is never an Angel who is 339 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,880 given the description of an elder. 340 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:16,800 Moreover, these elders all possess their own crown, and 341 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:21,520 there is not a hint in the Bible that would suggest that an 342 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:24,640 angel's ever promised or granted a crown. 343 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,320 Ever. You might make a case that they 344 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,120 wear white or they have dazzling clothes, sure. 345 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:34,280 But here's what we make of this. The only created beings who 346 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,720 fully match the description in this verse, elders clothed in 347 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,200 white garments and wearing crowns, are the redeemed. 348 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,960 The redeemed. Now you remember we've been 349 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,680 together for a few weeks, looking at the churches in 350 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,840 chapters 2 and three. And with each of those churches, 351 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,720 God gave them a reward, at least promised them a reward if they 352 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:58,640 would become overcomers included in those rewards. 353 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:03,400 Do you remember? Some of them were promised a 354 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:13,320 throne, others a crown, and even more so white garments. 355 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:17,960 And so when you look at the wider context, when you honor 356 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:22,480 the flow of the text, then the identity of these beings becomes 357 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,960 clear. What you have before us, you are 358 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,120 a select group who have been redeemed and rewarded in the 359 00:25:28,120 --> 00:25:32,280 eternal presence of God. These are people. 360 00:25:34,120 --> 00:25:35,920 But the debate is not quite over. 361 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:42,880 If we have concluded that these 24 elders are indeed those, at 362 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,160 least a select few, who have been saved and secured in the 363 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:48,880 presence of God, then who are they exactly? 364 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:51,920 And that's where things get a little fun. 365 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:58,920 There's the fact that there are 24 of them mean that there are a 366 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,800 number that represents the church that will be taken up to 367 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:04,600 heaven before the tribulation begins. 368 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:08,280 Some who don't regard the chronology of the Book of 369 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:12,280 Revelation will say that you have 24 here. 370 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,400 So you have 12 and 12. You have the 12 tribes of Israel 371 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:18,920 and also the 12 holy apostles. And they'll get that from 372 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:22,720 chapter 21 where you see the New Jerusalem coming down, and on 373 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:26,640 the gates of the city, the names of the sons of Israel are 374 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:28,680 inscribed. And on the foundations of that 375 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,360 city you have the names of the 12 apostles. 376 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,360 I remember what the focus of this text really is. 377 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:42,920 It's the throne of God. We can debate over lunch. 378 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:50,400 And if we're just to take the throne of God as the hub and how 379 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,240 everything else orbits around it, then we have this 380 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:56,560 fascinating truth presented to us. 381 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,480 God, in His infinite glory and majesty, has graciously granted 382 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:03,800 us the privilege to draw near to His throne. 383 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:11,840 Not just at a future time when He will literally reward some 384 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:18,320 with authority and unique responsibilities, but even now, 385 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:26,640 God in His throne in heaven invites us who are undeserving 386 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:31,720 to come into any close proximity of His glory and to actually 387 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:35,160 come there with our weakness and our brokenness and our 388 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,920 neediness, and we'll have His full attention. 389 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:44,400 That's what I take from this. You're allowing 24 people to not 390 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:46,840 just, I would understand if they're standing around your 391 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:51,040 throne with a Butler outfit ready to do whatever you ask of 392 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:51,840 them. No, no, no, no. 393 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:56,800 Lesser Thrones, yes, but still positions of dignity and honor. 394 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:02,280 Crowned. Who is this God? 395 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:07,720 And the same God who sits on this throne tells us in Hebrews 396 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:10,520 416. Let us then, with confidence 397 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:14,720 draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy 398 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:17,280 and find grace to help in a time of need. 399 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:23,680 Let us draw near to the throne of grace with confidence. 400 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:32,800 Can I ask you something? How frequently do you make your 401 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:37,720 way to the throne of grace? Understanding that it's in 402 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:41,560 heaven, Understanding that the one who sits on that throne owns 403 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:45,520 everything, that he is incredibly faithful, and that He 404 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:49,560 has made a way into it for you and I How? 405 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:52,240 How much do you take advantage of that? 406 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,320 How frequently do you find yourself rushing into the 407 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:03,120 presence of the Lord in your time of need, realizing that 408 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,880 there is one here who delights to establish and station 409 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:12,800 forgiven sinners to sit around His throne? 410 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,080 Do you think that He will be indifferent as you approach him 411 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:24,440 in your weakness and lack? Never, never. 412 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:34,320 His throne is accessible and He can make commands from that 413 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:38,080 throne on your behalf. That would blow your mind if you 414 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:44,400 just knew how to make your home there and to call upon Him. 415 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:48,720 Do you realize that you can close the door of one of your 416 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:51,800 bedrooms at home and you can enter into the throne room of 417 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:57,920 God? It's accessible not just at a 418 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:07,360 future time, even now, and as accessible as it is number 5, 419 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:12,560 God's throne is righteous. Look at verse 5 again. 420 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:17,640 From the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and 421 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,400 peals of Thunder. And before the throne were 422 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:25,240 burning 7 torches of fire which are the seven spirits of God. 423 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:30,000 And before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass like 424 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:31,760 crystal. And around the throne, on each 425 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:34,640 side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes 426 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:42,760 and front and behind. So the same throne that forgiven 427 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:47,600 sinners may approach freely is also the same throne that will 428 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:53,400 consume unrepented sinners. Where do we get that from? 429 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:58,560 This imagery of flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals 430 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:03,920 of Thunder is consistently used in the Book of Revelation in 431 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:08,920 connection to a manifestation of God's intense indignation. 432 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:11,680 Let me give you an example. Look at Revelation 6/1. 433 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,160 Now I watch when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals and I 434 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:17,680 heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like 435 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:23,520 Thunder, come, there is Thunder. There's other things to consider 436 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:28,200 with this as well. You have this consistent picture 437 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:31,720 that when something was about to manifest pertaining to God's 438 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:35,040 wrath, it would be accompanied by these sights and these 439 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:37,320 sounds, as well as the four living creatures in some 440 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:41,640 instances as we just read. So what we're supposed to take 441 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:43,960 from this year is that there is a day coming. 442 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:48,120 Please pay attention to this when everyone, including Satan 443 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:52,400 himself, will be held accountable by a holy God who 444 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,320 has kept a perfect record of every wrong that has been 445 00:31:55,320 --> 00:32:00,080 committed. And that accounting is 446 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:03,560 accomplished in part by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 447 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:07,320 Go back to our main text. Did you notice who was before 448 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:10,600 the throne? We read here that before the 449 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:14,120 throne are 7 torches of fire in the latter part of verse 5, 450 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:15,800 which are the seven spirits of God. 451 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:23,600 So John, he sees these thunderings and the rumblings 452 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,720 and the clapping of the the skies, and he's getting a 453 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:31,080 preview of what's about to be launched on the earth. 454 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:37,680 God's wrath is about to be unleashed and he also sees that 455 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:43,560 the Holy Spirit symbolize with these 7 torches, 7 spirits of 456 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:47,760 God is before the throne. What's the connection? 457 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:53,440 Here's the connection. The Holy Spirit, the omniscience 458 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:58,480 of God, who is everywhere all times, who sees and hears 459 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:02,680 everything in private or in public, who knows what is in the 460 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:06,400 heart, whether it's expressed or hidden, will bring all 461 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:08,320 disobedience before the throne of God. 462 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,520 And the same Holy Spirit who has convicted the hearts of men and 463 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:17,560 was given them a taste of the beauty of the gospel and has 464 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:23,120 been rejected by men, will hold such individuals to account and 465 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:25,080 bring them to trial before the throne of God. 466 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:30,080 And even the Holy Spirit, who has issued unique miracles or 467 00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:33,760 made incredible supernatural interventions a reality before 468 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:37,760 some, will hold those individuals accountable for the 469 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:42,480 special advantages that they had and rejected the Gospel. 470 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:46,880 The Holy Spirit who is before the throne, accompanied by the 471 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:51,880 sights and sounds of judgement, shows us that as much as he is a 472 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:58,640 comforter, one day He will expose those who have denied his 473 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:03,120 ministry. And he's not the only powerful 474 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:05,760 being that grips John. He looks around the throne and 475 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:08,719 he sees these four living creatures and we read the 476 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:10,880 description of them. Is this the first time that they 477 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:14,760 appear in our Bibles? No, they are prevalent in the 478 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:17,560 book of Ezekiel and Ezekiel calls them the cherubim. 479 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:21,920 The cherubim. The cherubim are a high-ranking 480 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:25,880 order of heavenly creatures, and in the Book of Revelation, as we 481 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:31,280 read in chapter 6, verse one, they are often found as 482 00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:35,280 instruments of God's judgement that will be realized in the 483 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:39,080 tribulation. They are in some measure the 484 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:42,239 means of God executing his vengeance on the earth. 485 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:48,239 And that is quite remarkable because when you look at these 486 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:52,960 creatures, you can't help but feel like this is the heart of 487 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:56,520 the matter. You and I listen carefully here. 488 00:34:56,520 --> 00:35:00,000 If you're a curious attender or visitor, or maybe just a blatant 489 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:03,960 blasphemer, listen to this. Each of us have a choice. 490 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:07,840 We all have the choice to face the fierce wrath of God 491 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:15,160 performed by these heavenly creatures in some measure or not 492 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:19,960 to face them, but to stand alongside them and face the 493 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:24,640 throne of God with them and give worship to the one who sits on 494 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:28,520 the throne. And the determining factor that 495 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:33,240 will establish whether we are facing these fierce creatures or 496 00:35:33,240 --> 00:35:39,680 an extension of God's holy wrath or to be in the choir with them 497 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:44,200 in heaven is one thing. Faith and allegiance to the 498 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:50,200 person of Jesus Christ. Which brings me to my final 499 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:54,360 point about God's throne. The 5th is that God's throne is 500 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:56,120 righteous. But lastly, and this is my 501 00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:59,200 favorite. So if you've made it to the end, 502 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:02,600 welcome to what I think is the most exciting point about God's 503 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:07,320 throne. God's throne is the center of 504 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:13,520 worship. Look at verse 8 and the four 505 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:16,640 living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes 506 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:18,360 all around and within and day and night. 507 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:23,120 They never cease to say holy, holy, holy is the Lord God 508 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:25,600 Almighty who was and is and is to come. 509 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:30,680 I find it amazing that these magnificent creatures are not 510 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:34,120 just agents of justice, but they are primarily preoccupied with 511 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:35,800 worshipping the one who sits on the throne. 512 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:38,640 Doesn't that move you? It moves me. 513 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:46,840 And there are many things to make of this observation, but 514 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:50,240 one of the main points that John wants us to see, and ultimately 515 00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:53,520 Jesus wants John to see so he can share with us, is that one 516 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:58,840 of the activities that will preoccupy us in heaven is giving 517 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:05,360 God endless praise. And I've heard some people who 518 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:10,640 innocently, maybe even fearfully, have inquired when 519 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:14,080 trying to make sense of the eternality of everlasting life, 520 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:16,920 are we just going to sing all the time? 521 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:23,240 Have you been asked that? Maybe you've wondered that as 522 00:37:23,240 --> 00:37:29,160 though heaven is going to be this mundane, boring eternal 523 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:33,040 church service. Church shouldn't be boring 524 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:42,120 anyway, and these four living creatures along with the 24 525 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:44,800 elders would answer you if you have that question. 526 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:53,040 That is absolutely not the case, although praise will be 527 00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:57,520 prevalent in the world to come. There'll be other things that we 528 00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:00,040 will do that, surely. I mean, we're going to get an 529 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:02,480 idea of that in this book as we study it. 530 00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:08,400 But I find it amazing again, that the same living creatures, 531 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:11,880 though they are, the cherubim, resemble the seraphim in some 532 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:14,720 measure. And when you go to Isaiah 6, you 533 00:38:14,720 --> 00:38:20,240 realize that they are singing holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of 534 00:38:20,240 --> 00:38:22,120 hosts. The whole earth is full of His 535 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:25,800 glory. And Isaiah was centuries before 536 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:27,400 the Book of Revelation was penned. 537 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:31,160 And yet now you come to the final text of divine revelation, 538 00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:34,400 and you discover that these heavenly creatures are still 539 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:43,680 singing the same song. That's a very long time and our 540 00:38:43,680 --> 00:38:47,200 difficulty in imagining ourselves participating. 541 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:50,640 And that kind of adoration often stems from one main thing. 542 00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:55,240 You ready for this? Failing to understand our wiring 543 00:38:55,240 --> 00:38:59,120 to praise and why we praise to begin with? 544 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:06,960 Let me elaborate. Men and women, religious or non 545 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:12,560 religious, truly Christian or nominal Christian, offer praise 546 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:18,880 on this side of heaven more than you think, just toward different 547 00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:24,360 objects. You and I actually praise more 548 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:28,800 than you realize. Some of you rightfully praise 549 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:35,400 the the beauty of your spouse. Others praise the achievement of 550 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:43,040 their children. Some of you can't just whisper 551 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:47,800 Wow under your breath when you are standing before a glorious 552 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:50,400 sunset. You capture it with your phone 553 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:52,640 and you send it to others. That's praise. 554 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:57,960 Look at this, and some of you, and I know some of you. 555 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:03,440 You love to visit the newest restaurant in town, and you love 556 00:40:03,440 --> 00:40:08,040 to introduce your taste buds to new blending of flavors as they 557 00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:10,480 explode in your mouth. And guess what you do? 558 00:40:10,480 --> 00:40:12,160 You become an evangelist after that. 559 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:16,600 Because you go to friends and family and after church on 560 00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:19,080 Sunday, you got to try this place. 561 00:40:23,360 --> 00:40:26,200 Every single one of us effortlessly praises what we 562 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:29,040 enjoy, and CS Lewis brilliantly said the following. 563 00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:34,600 We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not 564 00:40:34,600 --> 00:40:39,560 merely expresses it, but completes the enjoyment. 565 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:46,520 Isn't that a deep thought? In other words, all of us can 566 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:50,200 testify that one of the reasons why we verbally or even 567 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:55,920 physically express praise toward anything that we delight in is 568 00:40:55,920 --> 00:40:59,440 because there is pleasure in the very act of expressing it. 569 00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:06,240 Nobody twists your arm or forces you to acknowledge something. 570 00:41:06,680 --> 00:41:09,600 It's the overflow of your experience of something that you 571 00:41:09,600 --> 00:41:14,680 enjoy. And the psalmist says that there 572 00:41:14,680 --> 00:41:19,680 is a limit to all perfection, which then would apply that 573 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:21,480 there would be a limit to our praise. 574 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:28,000 And here's what John's vision is teaching us. 575 00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:34,400 Endless praise is not going to be a forced chore in heaven. 576 00:41:34,840 --> 00:41:41,800 It is going to be spontaneous and satisfying overflow of 577 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:47,000 encountering the limitless beauty of the sight and sound 578 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:52,480 and sensation of God's unveiling glory that will be ever before 579 00:41:52,480 --> 00:41:58,080 us. So it's not are we going to 580 00:41:58,080 --> 00:42:00,120 actually do this for like millions of years? 581 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:06,320 You won't be able to help yourself and in your mind and in 582 00:42:06,320 --> 00:42:09,080 mind, you think that what's going to happen. 583 00:42:09,080 --> 00:42:11,760 And I think what's going to happen in heaven is that it's 584 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:14,720 just going to be a little better of a church service with a with 585 00:42:14,720 --> 00:42:17,120 a more functioning screen and better lights. 586 00:42:17,440 --> 00:42:24,040 Dead wrong. The throne of God will be before 587 00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:32,040 us, and you won't be able to help but give spontaneous and 588 00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:37,720 satisfying praise, not just because the sight and the sounds 589 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:41,560 and the sensation demands it, but because you will delight to 590 00:42:41,560 --> 00:42:47,720 give it. To which someone may respond, Is 591 00:42:47,720 --> 00:42:50,000 there really that much to take in about God? 592 00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:55,040 And my answer would be, did you notice how many eyes these four 593 00:42:55,040 --> 00:43:02,560 living creatures have? Go back to verse 8 and the four 594 00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:06,360 living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes 595 00:43:07,120 --> 00:43:10,360 all around and within. Now notice what follows. 596 00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:13,240 And day and night they never cease to say, and they worship. 597 00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:18,960 I like to think that what's happening here, the reason why 598 00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:24,680 God created these cherubim to have these eyes everywhere, to 599 00:43:24,680 --> 00:43:31,760 signify that two eyes are not enough to register all that God 600 00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:38,920 is, these gigantic, blazing holy beings, even them, they need 601 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:45,000 eyes all around and within to take in all that God is. 602 00:43:47,240 --> 00:43:51,200 Two eyes aren't enough. And notice it's what they saw 603 00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:56,040 that led them to say. So what you have here is really 604 00:43:56,040 --> 00:44:00,360 a model for how heavenly worship can inform and guide our worship 605 00:44:00,360 --> 00:44:03,360 here on earth. What do I mean by that? 606 00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:08,240 The strength of your worship and mind will be in proportion to 607 00:44:08,240 --> 00:44:10,400 the depth of your understanding in mind. 608 00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:16,600 What they saw, what they perceived, what they understood 609 00:44:16,880 --> 00:44:20,560 was the means by which they were able to say and not stop saying, 610 00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:25,520 holy, holy, holy. So in the same way that these 611 00:44:25,520 --> 00:44:29,560 four living creatures first beheld God and then as a result 612 00:44:29,560 --> 00:44:34,440 offered genuine and lasting worship to God, means that you 613 00:44:34,440 --> 00:44:39,040 and I can only give the same from a clear and complete vision 614 00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:42,240 of who God is. Let me put it this way. 615 00:44:43,320 --> 00:44:48,040 If you and I find ourselves struggling to truly praise God 616 00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:51,520 and worship it with our words and with song, with music and 617 00:44:51,520 --> 00:44:55,560 with poetry and with with intentional prayers, that can 618 00:44:55,560 --> 00:45:02,000 stem from only one main thing, a lack of insight of who He is and 619 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:06,760 a vision that is poor of His glory. 620 00:45:09,520 --> 00:45:14,800 And so the way to fix it is to invest your energy in seeing Him 621 00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:21,080 with the eyes of your heart. And you may say, well, I don't 622 00:45:21,080 --> 00:45:22,840 have the advantage of these four living creatures. 623 00:45:22,840 --> 00:45:26,600 I'm not one of the 24 elders who have a direct access to the 624 00:45:26,600 --> 00:45:29,240 unfiltered presence and power majesty of God. 625 00:45:29,840 --> 00:45:33,840 Sure. But it wasn't just the sight 626 00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:37,960 that moved them in this way. There were certain truths that 627 00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:40,960 move them as well. Here's what we're ending. 628 00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:44,040 Did you notice what they sang at the end of our chapter? 629 00:45:44,120 --> 00:45:49,440 Look at verse 11 of chapter 4, because we're learning here that 630 00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:51,840 we're not left without any heavenly material to help us. 631 00:45:52,520 --> 00:45:56,760 Worthy are you, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and 632 00:45:56,760 --> 00:46:01,440 power, for you created all things, and by your will they 633 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:04,640 existed and were created. What are they singing about 634 00:46:04,640 --> 00:46:06,240 here? God is the creator and 635 00:46:06,240 --> 00:46:11,840 sustainer. And when you come to chapter 5, 636 00:46:11,840 --> 00:46:14,680 which is a continuation of the vision here in chapter 4, notice 637 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:17,600 what they sing about as well. Go to chapter 5, verse 8. 638 00:46:19,280 --> 00:46:21,440 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living 639 00:46:21,440 --> 00:46:25,160 creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each 640 00:46:25,160 --> 00:46:28,240 holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the 641 00:46:28,240 --> 00:46:30,520 prayers of the Saints. And they sang a new song, 642 00:46:30,520 --> 00:46:34,520 saying, Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its 643 00:46:34,520 --> 00:46:36,800 seals. For you were slain. 644 00:46:36,960 --> 00:46:40,800 And by your blood you ransom people for God from every tribe 645 00:46:40,800 --> 00:46:43,720 and language and people and nation, and you have made them a 646 00:46:43,720 --> 00:46:47,280 Kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the 647 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:49,520 earth. What do they sing about in 648 00:46:49,520 --> 00:46:53,720 chapter 5? God as savior and Redeemer. 649 00:46:56,600 --> 00:47:00,400 So the theme of these hymns, which are the first hymns really 650 00:47:00,400 --> 00:47:04,000 of the Book of Revelation in chapter 4, you created 651 00:47:04,000 --> 00:47:06,040 everything. You're the brilliant mind behind 652 00:47:06,040 --> 00:47:09,880 all of this, every part of the universe, all the systems that 653 00:47:09,880 --> 00:47:12,680 we take for granted. You're the one who created all 654 00:47:12,680 --> 00:47:14,120 things. And then they come to chapter 5. 655 00:47:14,320 --> 00:47:16,920 And you also redeemed man. You shed your blood. 656 00:47:16,920 --> 00:47:20,720 You delivered us. Can we not see the same? 657 00:47:21,800 --> 00:47:23,560 Oh yes, I know. Not to the level and to the 658 00:47:23,560 --> 00:47:28,840 degree that they know it, but we still have access to God's 659 00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:32,520 creation and the revelation of salvation. 660 00:47:33,960 --> 00:47:39,440 And I encourage you and I today to ask God for the eyes to see, 661 00:47:40,520 --> 00:47:42,000 because your eyes are not just here. 662 00:47:42,000 --> 00:47:45,280 You have eyes here. Lord, I want to know your 663 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:47,000 wisdom. I want to the breadth of your 664 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:49,000 power of all the things that are around me. 665 00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:52,880 Isn't it funny how lately in our age, I mean, I think it's dying 666 00:47:52,880 --> 00:47:54,720 out a little bit now, but there was a, there was a time where 667 00:47:54,720 --> 00:48:00,600 there was a tsunami of arguments and philosophies of how all of 668 00:48:00,600 --> 00:48:03,200 this that we know of our created universe just came about. 669 00:48:03,600 --> 00:48:05,160 I've mentioned this before, many, many months ago. 670 00:48:05,160 --> 00:48:08,320 Let me say it again, that is not scientific advancement. 671 00:48:08,320 --> 00:48:11,080 That's a satanic strategy to take glory away from God. 672 00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:16,040 Satan doesn't want God to receive worship and clearly in 673 00:48:16,040 --> 00:48:18,280 heaven one of the things that he has adored for is how he created 674 00:48:18,280 --> 00:48:21,080 all things. So take God out of the picture. 675 00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:26,080 Let's give credit to a big explosion and goo. 676 00:48:28,440 --> 00:48:34,000 Not a God whose throne sits in heaven and the cross. 677 00:48:34,360 --> 00:48:38,400 Oh, how Satan hates the cross. Oh, he hates a church that makes 678 00:48:38,400 --> 00:48:45,240 Christ preeminent and central. And that's why I praise God for 679 00:48:45,240 --> 00:48:46,960 this church. Because we do sing about his 680 00:48:46,960 --> 00:48:50,200 creation and we do sing about his salvation. 681 00:48:50,640 --> 00:48:53,120 And the more we see it and understand it and develop 682 00:48:53,120 --> 00:48:57,160 greater perception of it all, the stronger and the longer our 683 00:48:57,160 --> 00:49:01,800 praise will be. And I invite you to prepare for 684 00:49:01,800 --> 00:49:04,960 the endless praise that we will give to God, which would be our 685 00:49:04,960 --> 00:49:08,640 satisfaction, and to His glory forever and ever. 686 00:49:09,360 --> 00:49:29,510 Let's pray. What man can do, O God has been 687 00:49:29,510 --> 00:49:33,470 done, but only you can open the eyes of the heart. 688 00:49:34,510 --> 00:49:42,110 So we ask that in this place on this Sunday afternoon, give us a 689 00:49:42,110 --> 00:49:49,040 glimpse of the throne of God. Thank you that you reign from 690 00:49:49,040 --> 00:49:54,960 heaven. Thank you that you own 691 00:49:54,960 --> 00:49:59,360 everything. Thank you, Lord, that you are 692 00:49:59,360 --> 00:50:02,920 faithful on that throne. Thank you that you've made it 693 00:50:02,920 --> 00:50:06,680 accessible. Thank you that it is righteous. 694 00:50:08,080 --> 00:50:11,160 No sin will go unpunished. No injustice will. 695 00:50:12,000 --> 00:50:14,240 We'll just go Scott free. You will. 696 00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:20,560 You will perform justice and thank you. 697 00:50:22,560 --> 00:50:27,720 It is a center of worship and we will delight in your presence 698 00:50:28,280 --> 00:50:32,280 and you will place before us a sight and sounds and a sensation 699 00:50:34,120 --> 00:50:36,720 that will secure our joy for eternity. 700 00:50:39,560 --> 00:50:45,680 And for this we want to join the Cherubim and the Seraphim and 701 00:50:45,680 --> 00:50:48,320 anything or anyone else that is in your presence and give you 702 00:50:48,800 --> 00:50:52,880 your due. We praise you today in Jesus 703 00:50:52,880 --> 00:50:59,760 name, Amen. It would be very appropriate for 704 00:50:59,760 --> 00:51:05,880 us to, at this moment, as a praising comes to help us, to 705 00:51:05,880 --> 00:51:11,080 call every faculty of our being and to give God what he 706 00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:13,680 deserves. Because as we had this church 707 00:51:13,680 --> 00:51:20,120 service, he has been sitting on a throne and He is our Father. 708 00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:22,200 Let's stand and sing to Him, shall we?