REVELATION

Focus Your Worship on the Father and the Son

Revelation 4-5

Jerry A Collins

1/29/06

SCC

· Where is the place that these judgments originate?

· Who is the person from which these judgments will come?

· Who are the 24 elders and the four living creatures?

It has been said Show me the man you honor and I will know what kind of man you are! What and who we attribute worth too says a lot about who we are—what we consider valuable impacts so much about us—our ambitions—our affections—our passion. The whole vision of Revelation begins with a place and a person of honor. In chapter 4 and 5 John is prepared for the vision, the outpouring of God’s judgments upon the earth as they are presented from the place where these judgments will originate and the Person from whom they come. The place will be the throne room of God and the Person will be both the Father and the Son. Chapter 4 focuses on God the Father, the Creator who hands over the seven-sealed scroll. Chapter 5 emphasizes the God the Son, the Redeemer, who is worthy to receive and open the scrolls.

1. THE VISION IS GIVEN IN THE THRONE ROOM IN HEAVEN 4

An Invitation vs 1 These things refer to the messages to the churches. After receiving these he received this vision. He saw a door open to heaven. And the voice, like a sound of a trumpet told John to come up to heaven. This is going to be true prophecy about things which must take place. The purpose of prophecy is not to predict the future but to confirm the past. When we look back at prophecy fulfilled it confirms to us that God is at work as He said. Prophecy is one of God’s ways of confirming that what He said is true and that what He says can be taken seriously and literally. Prophecy is always fulfilled literally whether the details of Christ’s life or the empires of Daniels vision. So will be the prophecies ofend times.

The throne in heaven 2-3 John sees a throne and someone sitting on it. This throne is standing in heaven the idea being that it has been set here for a reason. Probably a throne set in place for the coming events of judgment he is able to be shown. A throne that will be used by God to oversee and establish the judgments of the end times. He describes the person on the throne, God the Father, as a clear crystal like gem and a deep blood red gem with a rainbow of emerald green around the throne. So the picture we have is one of brilliant beauty.

Persons around the throne 4 There are 24 thrones and 24 elders. If these are human they would represent either Israel or the church or both. If they are angels then a special group who represent Israel and the church similar to the angels of the 7 churches. The white apparel and gold crowns mark these out in some special way.

Activity around the throne 5 This impressive scene enhanced with flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. There are 7 burning lamps before this throne Id’d as the 7 spirits of God either the HS or angels used to carry out the judgments to come.

4 living creatures 6-8 The vision expands to include a throne room with a sea like glass before this throne clear as crystal. There are 4 living creatures around the throne full of eyes in front and behind and around and within vs 8—apparently nothing escapes their attention or notice. They have faces like a lion, an eagle, a man and a bull. This is similar to the vision of Ezekiel 1. Each of them have six wings and their movements do not seem to distract from their constant vigilance. These creatures seem similar to the seraphim of Isa 6:2-3.

Praise and worship around the throne 8-11 The 4 creatures sing praise day and nite and worship God’s holiness, omnipotence, eternality. The 24 elders fall down before the throne casting their crowns before it—this is not believers giving their rewards back to Christ. They say God is worthy because He is the creator. John is brot into this area. It is from here that the tribulation judgments will come. (1) Give glory and honor to God because he is eternal and holy. (2) Proclaim that God is worthy of worship because He is the Creator of everything! Evolution is a blatant attempt to take glory away from God. Evolution says survival of the fittest—which says you are fittest—that is, you deserve glory. It is Satan’s idea to be god.

2. JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE WORTHY TO GIVE JUDGMENT 5

Description of the scroll 1There is a scroll sealed up with 7 seals. Usually you would unroll some of the scroll, break a seal, then unroll some more scroll, then break a seal. It was so full of words John could see writing o the outside and inside of it. God’s rite hand suggests He is the source of this scroll with the power and authority to use it. It may represent book of prophecies God instructed Daniel to seal until the end times (Dan 12:4, 9).