Revelation 4-5
Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.
Transcript
Good morning my name is Chad I'm one of the pastors here grab a Bible and go to the Book of Revelation uh we're going to look at Chapters four and five together today we are working as a Church through the Book of Revelation we have finished part one of the Book of Revelation which is the letters that were specifically written to the seven churches uh in Asia we we see that the whole book is a letter but then there's these specific addresses and we've worked through those seven specific addresses.
Now we are in part two uh as we've labeled it I mean we're just trying to as we're walking through it this section is a shift in the Book of Revelation and chapter four and five are a major shift in the Book of Revelation towards what is coming next and we are seeing with John a vision and multiple Visions are going to be playing out and this was to these letters were written to the Church in distress they were written to a Church where people had placed faith in.
Jesus they'd heard of the hope of the Gospel they'd heard of forgiveness and they'd Place their hope in Christ and then life got worse life got harder there was persecution and difficulty they were not well received that it caused them problems and and this is written in the middle of difficulty and T tumult and problem and tribulation for them and then John is able to see what's really going on it's a Revelation it's peeling back now there are some things that happen as we move forward in the Book of Revelation that there are differing views on and differing approaches to and we had a training weekend this past Friday and all of that is online.
Where we tried to quickly uh give a lot of information um and so if you were here you maybe still have a hangover from it I don't know but we gave a lot of information as quickly as possible to try to just say these are some of the ways to view the Book of Revelation to try to understand it and some of the things that we're not going to get into fully on Sundays because we don't want to lose the the big picture of the Book of Revelation as we get caught up in some of the smaller things.
But we did want to help our Church family uh be able to navigate that so that's online you can watch those uh you can watch them in 05 speed if you need to um to just try to slow down how how quickly we were trying to get through some stuff um my my sons recently asked me the question what does it mean to be worthy now their primary concern at the time was why Iron Man can't lift Thor's hammer they hit me with I was like that's deep.
And then I was like oh okay well but that's a worthy question and honestly that's that's what's being taken up in the text that we're looking at today is this concept of worthiness and in some ways in the midst of difficulty and trial and and chaos one of the questions we have is who's who's going to fix this who's in charge around here you ever been in the middle of just cting you're like who who leads this thing who's in charge around here who's going to fix this and and in the middle of difficulty and where there's those that are oppressing others and there are situations where the people in power are are exerting their.
Influence for their own gain and for difficulty of others there's that uh that age-old play uh playground question of says who you say this isn't fair you can't do that and someone looks at you and says says who you and what Army and we're in this moment with these churches there's difficulty and and John gets shown by God here's who says and here's who's worthy and here's who and what army that's that's what's beginning to happen in the Book of Revelation is as history's going to unfold and his judgment's going to unfold and his salvation's going to unfold who's sitting on on the throne and who's the one carrying out history and we're about to.
Get that answered and by God's grace and by the work of his Spirit may we see it and believe it Revelation chapter 4 after this this is after Jesus's addresses to the Church after this I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven and the first voice which I had heard speaking to me me like a trumpet said come up here and I will show you what must take place after this okay so he originally in chapter one he hears a voice that sounds like a trumpet and this is John experiencing things.
And then trying to articulate it to you so a voice like a trumpet he turns to see where the voice came from and he sees Christ standing uh in seven lampstands and then we get the the letters to the churches and he says I hear that first voice again and it says come up here and he says he looks and sees a hole in heaven a door standing open in heaven that he's actually seeing through now not just into the sky.
But into God's spiritual reality and he's being called up and one of the things that we're going to see in the Book of Revelation is that we want to ask the question all the time what happens next and he does say I'm going to show you what must take place after this and there are things that are going to for John be in the future taking place and carrying out and some of them are still in the future for us certainly.
But the better question as you're reading the book of Revelation is not just what happens next but what does John see next and we're going to say that repeatedly as we go through the Book of Revelation because there are certainly things that they're shown that have already happened but right now we're seeing things that he's going to get shown what's to take place and we're seeing with John what he sees next verse two at once I was in the spirit.
Behold a throne stood in heaven with one seated on the throne so he and once is in the spirit which I transported pulled up Suddenly he's there and the first thing he sees is a throne and one seated on the throne so we've entered the Heavenly throne room and when we read the book of Revelation there's a lot of pictures and a lot of wild to us pictures fantastic pictures and it's real easy to get caught up and going what is this what is this what does this mean what is that.
But the first thing we should do with John is be overwhelmed with John we should see with John what he sees even in this text from Verses 4 to 8 there's a whole lot of phrases in Greek that don't even have a verb it it just is like and a throne and 24 Thrones and seven torches like he just is it it's just and this and this you can almost feel John being overwhelmed like so we're going to just to take this in with him he sees a throne and he sees one seated on the throne and he who sat there had the appearance of Jasper and Carnelian which are two stones that are Reddish.
In color and also have design and swirl to them and some of what John's trying to do is just put words to what he's taking in and he's trying as best he can to describe something Indescribable and to put to pin Indescribable Beauty and we're going to see that as he goes through and he doesn't even really try to overly tell us what God looks like he just says he who sat there had the appearance of Jasper and a Carnelian and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald what does that even mean rainbow would bring to mind beautiful Kaleidoscope of colors.
But then it has the appearance of an emerald which is a stone which is green but if you look at emeralds it maybe it meant it's a rainbow but it has depth and texture and was Jagged but glorious that this is around the throne but he's overwhelmed with what he's seeing and around the throne were 24 El uh 24 Thrones and seated on the Thrones were 24 Elders clothed in white garments with golden crowns on their heads so he sees a throne prominent.
And then he notices oh there's 2 four other Thrones with 24 elders and there's some some discussion the text does not tell us who these 24 Elders are sometimes it tells us later there's golden bowls full of incense and it says those are the prayers of the Saints whenever that happens I'm always like thank you but it just says there's 24 elders and so there's some some discussion some people trying to dig into what does that mean I will tell you that it's.
If we had to know he would have told us so there's some relief there that we don't have to know who the 24 Elders are some argue that it's 24 Heavenly beings and that there's some good argument for that some good uh every everything else here is a Heavenly creature and later they're going to when they're doing some of the the stuff that we just read together that was underlined they don't include themselves and those that are ransomed they seem to be talking about it as.
If they're separate from it there are others who look at this and say that they it seems like it's possible that it's the 12 apostles and the 12 heads of the tribes of Israel they they have crowns and white robes and and throughout the Book of Revelation white robes represent what Christ has done for us that he's covered us and so they say that it looks like it's the 12 apostles and the 12 heads of the tribe of Israel which would mean that John is here and John is also there on one of the thrones potentially.
If that's true which I don't know if he noticed and I don't know what you would do I think if you were the one on the throne you'd give yourself one of those like but what we're to see with John is there's a throne and there are 24 Thrones but it's going to become evident that those 24 Thrones serve this throne and that these who have more power than any King on Earth has ever had these 24 that have more Authority more ability more capability more wealth more honor than any King on Earth has ever had are completely and utterly joyfully subservient to the throne and he who is Seated on it around the throne.
This is verse four were 24 Thrones and seated on the Thrones 24 Elders clothed in white garments with golden crowns on their heads from the throne came flashes of lightning and Rumblings and peels of thunder and Before the Throne were burning seven torches of fire which are the seven spirits of God and we're going to into that again today and we've seen it already a couple times and our understanding of that is that's a reference to the Holy Spirit that there are imagery given to us that represent the Holy Spirit and seven being complete and full and utter and finalized and there's this picture of the Holy Spirit present.
But there's lightning and thunder and Rumblings and torches y'all this is terrifying I don't know if you've ever been near lightning when it strikes and thunder goes off at the same time not like you see a Flash and then you hear the rumble but when it's like and you go he's the throne is issuing forth power I don't know if you can feel with John how fast your heart would be beating and how overwhelmed you would be trying to take all this in and Before the Throne there was as it were a sea of glass like Crystal which is a similar description to what uh Moses sees in Exodus chapter 24 and around the throne.
On each side of the throne are four living creatures and this is about to be similar to some of the stuff that Ezekiel was able to see full of eyes in front and behind the first living creature like a lion the second living creature like an ox the third living creature with the face of a man and the fourth living creature Like an Eagle in flight and the four living creatures each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around and within and day and night they never cease to say.
Now those creatures are terrifying they're full of eyes in front and behind all around they have six wings and he says it's like a lion like an ox Like an Eagle in Flight like a man is it a man no it's like a man some semblances there some some pictures of it and oh these are around the throne praising and glorifying God and if you look through history how much Humanity has used Lions Eagles oxes and humans in our imagery to show our own dominance we put it on Shields we put it in you know over mailboxes at the foot of stairs that go up to where you're going to sit like this is what.
We do the Roman Empire had a an the Roman Eagle the United States has an eagle we put Lions we put oxes on things we we have this imagery and John says I saw the most terrifying version of all of those and they Worship the Lord and they never cease to say holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come holy meaning set apart on completely other on his own and he's not just set apart he's set apart set apart set apart he's above and beyond above and beyond above and beyond he's glorious glorious glorious he's holy holy holy unapproachable holy who was and is and is to.
Come which is a bit of an odd phrasing he was he exists in all the past all eternity he is now and it doesn't say and who will be says and who is to come meaning that he is always and he is and his being will forever exist and exert its existence he is Holy and he is eternal and whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is Seated on the throne who lives forever and ever the 24 Elders fall down before him who is Seated on the the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever they cast their crowns Before the Throne.
So there's 24 Thrones but they get off of their Thrones take their crowns Off cast them down in front of him and they say no it's your glory it's your honor they're going to say that he's worthy and so that these Thrones even though they're granted this Authority in joy and in worship they acknowledge no no no no it's all you and I I've heard people before it usually comes across as a lament or a complaint and I've felt it before myself.
But they'll read passages like this and go is that all we do is that all that happens in heaven we just worship and first of all I don't think so um there's going to be a new Heavens A New Earth I don't think it's going to be just like this all the time but I do think this will be the best part and to say is that all we do is actually a failure to understand what worship is what praise is and how wonderful it is.
Because you naturally praise things as you enjoy them you naturally praise what you love and the truth is part of the enjoyment as CS Lewis says the consummation of it the the full and final version of the enjoyment is the praise of it that we actually can't really enjoy something without praising it I you do this you'll watch moms do this with their kids I watch my wife do this with our children all the time she stares at them and then she just goes they're.
So cute like it would hurt her to not say it but you do this you fall in love with someone and you just it just comes out you just say these things some of you did this yesterday watching sports something amazing happened and you didn't just go my I noticed that was quite good even that would be a form of praise it would just be a muted form but what you do you jumped up you yelled you were excited it's part of it it's part of the enjoyment.
And So True Praise true worship is true fulfilled delight and made all the better by how much better the thing we're praising and worshiping is so to have true fulfillment and Delight in the one who is ultimately worthy y'all that's Heaven those are your best moments in life when you're so caught up in how wonderful something is you're taking out of yourself those are your most free moments when you're just looking at the ocean or the sky and you're just going.
Look at that look at how wonderful that is and you're just free from yourself for a moment and you're just caught up in something that's bigger than you and something that's better than you and so to say is this what we're going to do Lord I hope so I hope that we'll be so caught up in how gloriously worthy he is that we're just it's overwhelming to us and we get to Delight eternally in his glory and his goodness and that's what they get to do and they say this.
Verse 11 worthy are you our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and Power for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created so they say He's Worthy glory and honor and power to receive glory and honor and power like he's worthy to for it to go to him for it to defer to him for it to be about him he's worthy of it he's equal to it it's worth it and then it says for.
So why here's why you created all things and by your will they existed and were created there's not one single thing that exists that does not owe its existence to God there's not one thing it exists by his permission at his will when you hear people periodically say things like well if there is a God when I meet him I'm going to ask him this you hadn't slurped in one greedy breath into your nasty little lungs without his permission you know ask him anything that's not how it works he's worthy.
For he created all things this presumption of us that we're going to your brain that he gave you that is a small derivative of his brain has worked out logically some sort of inconsistency in him that you're going to stand before him and he's going to go oh neat you got me that's not how it works he's worthy because everything exists at his pleasure all of us he gets to sit on the throne we don't he's worthy then I saw in the right hand of him who was Seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back sealed with Seven Seals.
Okay so we have a throne we have a king Seated on the throne he has a scroll in his hand we're to understand this is some sort of Royal declaration Royal edict something that's going to be put into the works something that's going to be applied to existence and it's sealed with Seven Seals now we don't have a lot of familiarity with this but a scroll would be rolled up wrapped with some string and then sealed with a special type of wax and you weren't allowed to open it unless you had the authority to break that seal this is sealed with Seven Seals an example I found this online just try to help you picture.
It and there are other pictures online that may be a better representation but that's just try to help you understand what it's talking about it's sealed with Seven Seals meaning someone has to have the authority to to break those seals to to carry out this command to receive this command to to to take it forward that's what he's holding in his right hand and I saw verse two a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice okay he's Seated on a throne he's holding a scroll in it as we find out is going to be the unrolling of History the unrolling of judgment the unrolling of Salvation like it's going to be the carrying out of.
God's plan and he says he sees a mighty angel now we don't know what this Angel looked like but he was given the description Mighty so if if I said I was hanging out at a restaurant and these four guys come walking in and then a mighty man walks in behind them what what made that one Mighty it's like well he had a hard time fitting through the door like I there's some something that differentiates and so he sees this Angel and says this Angel has more Authority more power more something there's something that declares the greatness of this Angel as this Angel steps forward and this Angel says and I saw a mighty angel.
Proclaiming with a loud voice who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals there's this declaration that Echoes out this question that Echoes out into we're going to see into all existence verse three and no one in heaven or on Earth or under the Earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it okay no one in heaven all Heavenly Creatures none of them step forward on the earth the best of our power think tanks Kings Governors athletes Heroes nobody steps forward under the Earth.
So all the dead and all the enemies of God that are sealed in the abyss which we're going to get to see more of as we work through the Book of Revelation so not all of them are there but some of them are there and so it's saying that in all layers of creation all layers of existence no one steps forward so this declaration goes out who is worthy and here's the answer and I don't know how long they sat but verse four says and I began to weep loudly.
Because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it John says I started to ugly cry I made a scene John is weeping he is heartbroken that the Unworthy of existence the unworthiness of creation the unworthiness of humanity would stop God's plan that what God had designed for the world what he was going to carry out that no one can carry it out and John says it broke me John's just weeping he's just crushed and you've got to understand that you're included in the no one of verse three you don't get to walk to the throne and say hand it over I've got this.
And if you think background somewhere in your head well maybe you wouldn't think that if you were there seeing the throne seeing him who is Seated on it seeing the mighty Angel making the Declaration hearing the lightning and the Thunder and the Rumblings there's not one of us that would go none of us are worthy we have fallen short we have sinned legitimately we're not even worthy for some of the promotions that come up at our job and that's like how many people John is weeping verse five one of the most beautiful verses in all the Scriptures and one of the elders said to me weep no more and Church hear that hear that with.
John weep no more behold the line of the tribe of Judah the root of David has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its Seven Seals there's one coming who can walk to the throne who can reach his hand out who can take something out of God's hand and Carry Out history weep no more he has conquered Here Comes The Lion of the tribe of Judah here comes the root of David the one who was promised throughout the Old Testament that root of David language is that there's the fulfilled Messiah the promises that were made to David have been carried out the lion of the tribe of Judah has come the what the.
Prophecies have told us what the prophets have told us has been accomplished someone has conquered someone is worthy someone can approach the throne and he says Behold The Lion of the tribe of Judah so he says look it's the lion of the tribe of Judah that's Jesus the Fulfillment of the prophecies to David and between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a lamb standing as though it had been slain John says I was told.
Look there's the lion and I didn't see a lion I saw a lamb that had been slain praise God that Jesus comes to us in conquering he was first conquered for us that he comes to win us back not as the lion who carries out God's Vengeance but he first came as the lamb who would be slain so that we might be forgiven that John says I looked and I saw a lamb as though it had been slain standing Before the Throne as a lamb covered in blood a lamb that's been crushed a lamb that's been sacrificed that's the lion of the tribe of Juda that's how he conquers he conquered through the cross that.
When it looked like Humanity had won that our sinfulness had conquered that he was just going to be swept away and gone he was dead and buried but he rose again and what did he do he walked to the throne and said I'm ready because he's conquered and that's who John sees and that's our hope is that Jesus who was conquered walks to the throne and is going to carry out history with seven horns and with seven eyes which are the spir seven spirits of.
God sent out into all the Earth so it's not a normal looking lamb it's a lamb that has been slain but it has all authority all power that's what seven horns is and with seven eyes it's filled with the spirit it's got the spirit of God and he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who is Seated on the throne John who has teary eyes a swollen face who's been weeping loudly he's got snot running out of his nose sees as the lamb approaches the throne and takes it and he's going yes and he knows who the lamb is he's saying take history.
Jesus do it carry out God's will let's go and for a Church that's in the middle of turmoil and difficulty and Brokenness and we're saying what is happening who's in charge who's going to carry this out is there anyone worthy can anyone save can anyone do this Jesus can and he comes to us the Conquering lion he comes and is first conquered in our place for our sins so that we might be able to carry forward with him because he could show up and just conquer us in our sin.
But he loves us so much that he comes and rescues us and has conquered for us to pay our debt a debt that we could not pay to give us a hope that we could not have gained on our own that Jesus is the one who can approach the throne and when he had taken the scroll the four living creatures and the 24 Elders fell down before the lamb okay he's God you got to see his divinity when this happens they're not allowed to worship not.
God in front of God that's insane Jesus Is God who came to Earth to rescue us he's the son of God and he has given Divinity and glory and honor he it belongs to him he had it before the world began and he exists with it forever and they worship and praise the Lamb when he had taken the scroll the four living creatures and the 24 Elders fell down before the lamb each holding a harp and Golden Balls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints that your prayers are brought before.
Jesus and for those reading the book of Revelation John's saying hey guess what you know how you've been tired and hurt and sad and hungry and before you go to bed at night you've just plead with the Lord can I tell you something I saw it make it to him can I tell you how precious it is it's in Golden bowls can I tell you that there are Elders that hold it out before Christ he hears it he knows that he sees it he's aware can I tell you that he's conquered can I tell you that he's good that's what John is saying.
See this picture I saw it can you see it with me and they sang a new song There was a moment where no one was worthy because Christ hadn't gone to the Cross he had a will to fulfill and then there's a moment where the song changes in heaven because Christ has done what he was sent to do worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals for so God was worthy because he's the Creator Christ is given worthy.
For you were slain and by your blood you ransomed people for God ransomed means to be bought out of slavery so he paid the debt with his blood he paid the debt we're enslaved to sin we owe a debt in order to get out of debt someone has to pay the debt the payment has to be paid in blood we can pay it in our own confidence in ourselves we can say I got this I'm good enough I'll pay my debt and you can through destruction through death through God's Wrath you can accept the payment of your rebellion and your sin or.
Jesus can pay it through Grace and through his blood on our behalf and we can be ransomed out of slavery we can be ransomed away from the guilt that we have and we can be brought to God you ransomed a people for God from every tribe and language and people and Nation y'all do you know how beautiful that is do you know how how much the world this is a new idea how much faith has always been be this type of person learn this type of language it it belongs to a people group y'all know the center of Christianity has moved throughout history from Jerusalem to Europe South America yall know that there's not rules.
On skin tone or dialect what happens to your skin in the Sun or what happens to your skin when you get out of water like those aren't rules here there's not rules about what your hair looks like or what eye color you have he's got every tribe and people in language and Nation belong to Christ and all of them in their tribe language Nation tongue will cry out the glory of Christ because they all belong to him he created all of them and he's purchased out of them all of them that there's not a single unrepresented people group around the throne in heaven this is one of the reasons why we send missionaries to places.
Where people aren't reached because we know that God's got someone there someone's coming out someone's going to sing his Praises from that from that language somebody's going to be there it says that he's done it and we get to see it later in the Book of Revelation it says you've made them a kingdom and Priests to our God priests were the ones who got to stand before God directly got to relate to God directly and it's saying your whole Kingdom of people who get to relate directly to.
God and they shall reign on Earth Christ is worthy because he paid the debt rescued people for God and finalized what God's plan was which was to have a people that belonged to him then I looked and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands he's just saying an uncountable all of a sudden uncountable Angels saying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing he's worthy of all of it it all belongs to him all of history and all of existence.
Will cry out to the glory of Christ and I heard every creature in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and in the sea and all that is in them saying to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever and the four living creatures said amen and the elders fell down and worshiped the appropriate response to God on the throne and the lamb who was slain to Christ the Conquering King is worship and praise and glory and honor and blessing forever and ever.
If you ever have in any moment where you think is it worth this is it worth the effort is it worth the repentance is it worth the energy is it worth giving my money to is it worth is it worth laboring for is it worth giving up this promotion so that I can go be a part of this is it worth saying no to everything so I can say yes to Christ the answer is it is eternal worth it that God who reigns forever is worth glory and honor and praise and Christ who died to redeem a people.
For himself is worth all glory and honor and praise and blessing and might and power forever and ever and ever and ever and ever he is worth it and he is worthy and the only appropriate response is worship so that's what we're going to do we're going to take a moment together as a Church and we're going to worship and if you've never surrendered to Christ can I tell you that in the Book of Revelation he will conquer with a sword.
But by God's grace the way that he conquered for us is that he was conquered for us that he is a lamb who was slain so that you might be forgiven so that you might look and say God I'm not worthy but Christ is and my hope is in him I've fallen short I mess up I've caused so many problems I've hurt so many people I I'm covered in guilt but I have a lamb who's paid my debt who's ransomed me with his blood and my hope is in him.
And then Church we get to sing he's worthy which means that we're included we're welcomed he's worthy I'm not worthy He's Worthy the question before God is who is worthy and you're going to get there and you're either going to say I think it's me and be wrong or you're going to stand and say it's Christ he is worthy he is worthy I'm not but he is and my hopes in him and my trust in him and I tell the Lord this all the time.
When I see my sin so clearly I say if you don't save me I won't be saved if you don't forgive me I won't be forgiven if you don't help me I won't be helped because it's all on your glorious Grace that I have hope but if you have Jesus you have hope because he is worthy let's pray Lord Jesus you are worthy of all things you're worthy of all of our time of all of our energy of all of our money of all of our hope of all of our effort of all of our might of all of our mental capabilities you're worthy of all things you're worthy of all glory and all pra.
Praise and all power and all wealth it all is yours may we trust you and may we praise you and may we Delight in you and may for a moment through the power of your spirit may this place get so close to the throne room that we can see you that we can know you that we can feel you and that we can worship you that we can join with the song of Heaven to the praise of your glory amen the band's going to come back up we're going to join in singing with one another this is one of the reasons why we sing and praise on Sundays and it's one of the reasons why.
We should take it seriously that you're being invited into something gloriously wonderful something that exists in eternity something that belongs in front of the Lord right now it's not a time to talk it's not a time to text it's not a time to do anything else it's time for us to try to set our hearts for just a moment to get them so out of the the mess that we're in all the time where we just see things here and to just.
For a moment raise our eyes and say Lord help me see a door open to Heaven may I see your throne for a moment may have been caught up in how worthy and glorious you are so as a Church family we're going to take communion we're going to take a moment where you just recognize that he is worthy and that you are not but by his glorious Grace he was slain for us if you're a Christian communion is for you it's where we we.
Remember the broken body the shed blood of Christ on our behalf if you're not a Christian communion is not for you but you can trust Christ and he will be for you he will rescue and forgive if you need forgiveness he grants forgiveness and mercy because all glory and honor and power goes to him so if you're not a Christian I we' invite you to place your hope and trust in Jesus and if you are a Christian we'd invite you to take a moment.
And then take communion as a Church family and then we're going to sing together and if you have a gluten allergy we have gluten-free back there.