Sermons on important subjects by Rev. Paul C. Jong

< Revelation 4:1-11 >

"After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, 'Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.' Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

'Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God Almighty,

Who was and is and is to come!'

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

'You are worthy, O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

For You created all things,

And by Your will they exist and were created.'"

Verse 1: "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, 'Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.'"

The gate of Heaven had been closed before. But this gate was flung open when Jesus delivered sinners from their iniquities by coming to this earth, being baptized by John, dying on the Cross, and rising from the dead again. Through his angels, God revealed to the Apostle John what awaits the world in the end times.

Verse 2: "Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne."

Through the open gate of Heaven, John saw that there was another throne prepared in Heaven, and that the One who sat on it was Jesus Christ. Around the throne were four living creatures, 24 elders, and the seven Spirits of God.

The Lord received the throne of God from the Father for the completion of His work of saving sinners from the sins of the world. While on this earth, the Lord took upon all the sins of the world on Himself by receiving baptism from John the Baptist, and delivered all the sinners from their iniquities by dying on the Cross and rising again from the dead. This is why God the Father permitted this throne in Heaven for His Son.

There is a tendency to see Jesus in a somewhat limited scope, recognizing Him as the Son of God and the Savior, but no more. But Jesus Christ now sits on the throne of God as the sovereign King who reigns over Heaven.

This does not mean, of course, that Jesus contended against the Father for His throne. God the Father's throne is still there. He permitted another throne in Heaven for His Son, crowning Him as the King of Heaven and establishing Him as the Judge of all those who stand against God. The Father raised Jesus Christ high above everyone else in Heaven and earth as God. Jesus Christ is now God, coequal to the Father. We must therefore praise and worship Jesus, who is our Savior and God.

Verse 3: "And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald."

This verse describes the glory of God sitting on the new throne.

Verse 4: "Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads."

Around the throne of Jesus Christ our God sat His ministers. It says here that the throne of God was surrounded by 24 more thrones, and that on these thrones sat 24 elders with crowns of gold on their heads. It was a great blessing of God for these elders to sit on the 24 thrones. These elders are those who, while on this earth, labored and were martyred for the Lord's Kingdom. This Word tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven has now become the Kingdom of our Lord God, exiting eternally under His reign.

Verse 5: "And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God."

God is the One who creates and reigns over all spirits.

Verse 6: "Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back."

The four living creatures are, along with the 24 elders, the ministers of the Kingdom of God. They always seek the will of God and praise His holiness and glory. And they are the ones who implement God's will in obedience.

Verse 7: "The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle."

The four living creatures are God's ministers devoted to the different tasks given to each, who faithfully serve all His purposes.

Verse 8: "The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!'"

Just as God does not sleep, the four living creatures also are always awake by His side, constantly praising Him for His glory and holiness. They praise the holiness of God who became the Lamb and His almighty power. They praise God as the One who was, is, and is to come. The One being thus praised by them is God the Father and Jesus Christ, who is God.

Verse 9: "Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,"

God's ministers thus give glory, honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne forever and ever.

Verse 10: "the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:"

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When the four living creatures were praising God, the elders sitting on the 24 thrones also cast their crowns before God and praised Him, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power."

Verse 11: "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."

The praise that the 24 elders gave to God came from their faith that God was worthy to receive all glory, honor, and power, for He created all things and all things exist by Him.

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