A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN – REVELATION 4
I. THE 4TH CHAPTER OF REVELATION CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF GOD THE FATHER,
AS WELL AS A PICTURE OF HEAVEN. I WANT TO BEGIN WITH A QUESTION.
A. Why would John, early in this book, describe the Father?
B. Why give all kinds of information about heaven?
C. We need to recall some previous studies.
D. The Lord’s people, for the most part, were under Roman rule.
E. Rome was very hostile towards the church.
F. Some of the Caesars were even claiming to be God.
G. God’s people were experiencing pain, anxiety, and suffering.
H. Christians needed to be comforted. They were looking to God for help.
1. What was God doing?
2. Was God secure?
3. What was happening in heaven?
4. Suppose we were the suffering saints in the first century …
5. Suppose that a messenger from God wrote us a letter that said:
a. “Everything in heaven is fine.”
b. “The Father and the Son are secure.”
6. Imagine someone telling us, “Heaven and its plans are in no way threatened by Rome.”
7. This kind of message would strengthen us and offer some comfort.
I. I am proposing that this describes what John does in Revelation 4.
J. John is able to see behind the scenes.
K. He receives information about heaven and reveals this to suffering saints.
L. Caesar could claim to be God and men could worship him.
M. Rome could claim to have power over God’s people.
N. Christians could be killed, tortured, and victimized.
O. Rome’s actions in no way were a threat to God.
P. God’s kingdom was still secure.
Q. An easy way to understand and remember Revelation 4-5 is this:
1. Rev 4 says, “Believe in God the Father.” Have faith in the Father.
2. Rev 4 is designed to build up our faith in the Father.
3. This chapter says, “True power is not in Italy.”
4. True power is not anywhere upon the earth – true power is in heaven.
5. Rev 5, the next chapter, deals with Christ; God the Son.
6. Rev 5 is also a chapter that is designed to build a Christian’s faith.
7. Rev 5 stresses the Lord’s love and mercy.
8. Jesus is co-ruler of the universe.
R. Let’s see why our faith in God the Father should be strong.
1. We start with Revelation 4:3 – READ.
2. Look carefully at the first few words in Verse 3.
3. John says, “He that sat.”
4. John told suffering saints that God was on the throne.
5. As you go back into the Old Testament you find that a throne was not always occupied.
6. At times a king was forced to flee.
7. David, for a time, was on the run. He had to leave his throne.
S. John comes along and says that Rome had not chased God off; God still occupied the place of
power.
1. God still occupies this place.
2. No one/no thing will cause God to leave His throne.
T. The picture of God sitting on a throne indicates something else.
U. When a crisis situation comes up people do a lot of things.
1. Some pace. We have seen concerned husbands walk back and forth.
2. Some may jump up and down; they scream and holler; they may throw a fit.
3. Others start barking out orders.
4. There are those who run from place to place.
5. Many are anything but calm, cool, and collected.
V. On the earth the church of Christ was being persecuted.
W. What was God the Father doing? He was sitting!
1. This “sitting” should not be understood as literal.
2. God is Spirit - John 4:24. Spirits do not need chairs.
3. The word “sitting” shows us that the Father was calm, collected.
4. The ruler of the universe was not threatened by Rome.
5. No nation can be a threat to God.
X. Here is a lesson for us to remember throughout our lives.
1. Nothing will ever be a real threat to God.
2. Our nation cannot be a serious threat to God.
3. Our leaders cannot be a serious threat to God.
4. Opponents of the church cannot be a big problem for God.
5. Not even the devil has a chance against God.
6. God is still sitting on His throne and He is in control.
7. Though this is true, there are people who worry about the earth being destroyed by meteors.
8. Others worry about the earth being destroyed by a nuclear war.
9. These things are no threat to God and they will not thwart any of His plans.
10. God is the supreme ruler over heaven and earth.
Y. Revelation 4 shows us that we have sufficient reasons to put all our faith in God.
Z. What else did John see and record for us?
1. If we stay with Verse 3, we find a description of the Father.
2. This description is unusual.
3. The Father is not described in a physical way.
4. Rather, colors of stones are used to describe the Father.
5. John pictures the radiance of the Father.
6. The “jasper stone” is again mentioned in Revelation 21:11 – READ.
7. The image we get is like a sparkling white diamond.
8. The “sardius” seems to have been a fiery red color.
9. When the Father is described, the descriptions are beautiful/dazzling.
10. What John says harmonizes with l Timothy 6:16 – READ.
11. Around the throne is a rainbow. This reminds us of the covenant.
12. God has made a covenant with man. We have gorgeous colors.
A. With the color is a display of power – lightning and thunder – Verse 5a.
1. This verse reminds us of Mount Sinai.
2. Lightning and thunder were present when Moses was on the Mount.
3. This information is found in Exodus 19:16-19.
4. The lightning and thunder may tie in with some Old Testament Psalms.
5. Lightning and thunder were used in conjunction with judgments.
6. These were used against God’s enemies – Psalm 18:13-14.
7. John’s references to these two things may draw from the Old Testament.
B. God was very capable of overcoming Rome.
II. VERSES 2, 3 AND 5 GIVE US A DESCRIPTION OF THE FATHER. VERSES 8-11 TELL US
HOW THE FATHER IS TREATED. READ.
A. There were 4 living creatures described in Verse 7.
B. These creatures “have no rest day and night” – Verse 8b.
C. They continually call the Father “holy”.
1. To me this says something about sin.
2. If the Father is so holy that the word holy is repeatedly used, the Father has got to have zero
tolerance for sin.
3. Sin is something that cannot be in the Father’s presence.
4. I want to offer a quick point in this regard.
5. Look at Verse 6 – READ 6a.
6. This sea of glass is not explained.
7. All kinds of guesses have been made about what it is.
8. One interesting cross reference comes from 2 Chronicles 4:2-6.
9. In the temple there was a “sea”.
10. This sea was a big basin.
11. Priests washed in this basin. 2 Chronicles 4:6
12. This may be tied in with the imagery in Revelation 4.
13. There is a “sea” before God.
14. Nothing can come to Him that is unclean/impure.
15. When we say that God is holy, this holiness is absolute.
16. No greater level of holiness is possible.
17. God’s level of holiness precludes anything that is not holy.
D. Four creatures honor the Father. These are not the only ones praising God.
E. Verse 10 speaks of 24 “elders”. Who are these elders?
1. Again, answers vary.
2. Some would point to the 12 tribes of the Old Testament.
3. Jesus picked 12 apostles.
4. The number 12 from the Old Testament; the number 12 from the New Testament – the total
of 24 is a way to describe all the saved.
5. This is one of the most popular explanations of the 24 elders.
6. Others think this goes back to the 24 courses of priests.
7. Either view or neither of these views could be correct.
8. I personally favor the 12 tribes and 12 apostles understanding that whatever the right meaning
is, it does appear that these 24 elders represent saved people.
9. We may conclude this because these people were wearing white.
10. They had golden crowns.
11. White is suggestive of holiness; crowns indicate victory.
F. In heaven, the Father will be worshipped.
G. Men will worship Him and other creatures will worship Him.
H. The other creatures that John describes are complex.
1. They are described in Verse 7 – READ.
2. Wild ideas have been advanced about these 4 creatures.
3. People who seek a literal fulfillment of Revelation have offered ideas.
4. It has been said that the lion stands for Europe.
5. The lion is the national emblem for England.
6. The calf, some claim, signifies Africa.
7. The third creature (face of a man) is the continent of Asia.
8. Would you like to guess what the flying eagle represents?
9. America – The United States.
10. Some think that John predicted America about 2,000 years ago.
I. This kind of explanation is nonsense and silliness.
J. John is describing heavenly creatures.
K. Now is not the time to investigate what these creatures are.
L. Suffice it to say that these creatures are very close to God.
M. These creatures constantly praise the Father.
N. They are persuaded that the Father deserves perfect and complete praise.
O. Their praise comes in the form of “holy, holy, holy” – 3 times.
P. The number 3 indicates fullness/completeness/wholeness.
CONCLUSION:
1. We now have a good idea of what the Father is like.
2. We can start to visualize what those around Him do.
3. Now we are prepared to look at this in black and white.
4. Some scenes in Revelation, if you try to draw them, will be impossible.
5. Revelation 4 is not like that. PROJECTOR ON.
6. There is the Father on His throne – center stage.
7. Jesus is close by.
8. Spirit is represented by the lamps.
9. I have placed green stars by the 4 living creatures.
10. The 24 elders are very close to Jesus and not far from the Father.
11. Angels are with the saved – 5:11.
12. Other creatures (all creation) are mentioned in 5:13.
13. Do we not want to see what is on the wall in person?
14. The light, the sounds, the creatures, the glory and holiness of God – this is perfection.
15. This is joy at its height for mankind.
16. We hope that you are headed to the place John describes in Revelation 4.
17. Are you?