First Christian Church - El Centro
Revelation 4: The Throne Room of Heaven
Locations & Times
First Christian Church of El Centro
450 S Waterman Ave, El Centro, CA 92243, USA
Sunday 9:30 AM
I. THE THRONE ROOM IN HEAVEN (Verses 3 & 5-6a)
1. “And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian.” The throne of God was not a piece of furniture in a room but a symbol of God’s sovereignty over all things and all people. But John is not mesmerized by the throne but rather by the one on the throne. Sitting conveys the thought of reigning or ruling with authority. Psalm 47:8 “God reigns over the nations, God sits on his holy throne.”
2. Notice that the throne itself is not described. But everyone and everything else is. God is described as having an “appearance of jasper and carnelian”. These are two crystals that can have a translucent effect and together could have a brownish red color tone to them. And with the translucent effect, his body was glowing. Revelation 21:11 gives us a description of jasper in heaven as being, “clear as crystal”. Which would give it a diamond effect.
3. “A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne”. Emeralds are a beautiful green and one of the most awe inspiring gemstones. Imagine light reflecting from this rainbow with richness in color not seen before. We do not find talks about rainbows except for Noah’s Ark and the covenant God made with humanity and here. It would seem that when God created the rainbow on earth, he took it straight from his throne room as a reminder to himself of his promise to mankind.
4. “From the throne came flashes of lighting, rumblings and peals of thunder.” Throne is not contained in a room as we would think on earth. Rather it seems suspended in a three dimensional space. On earth we would run and hide from the power of a lightning storm. In heaven the storm is a small representation of God’s power over all things. The power of one lightning bolt if captured could light 150 million light bulbs for a year. And the sound effects of thunder must have just been amazing for John’s mind to grasp.
5. “Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.” This is just another description of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Seven is the number symbolizing perfection or holiness. The Holy Spirit is represented as light in scripture. Unlike the description in Revelation 1:12 the “lampstand” here in the throne room the spirit of God is described as burning torches. One is soft light the other is blazing light. In the OT torches were associated with war and judgment. Here the Spirit ministry is defeating God’s enemy Satan by illuminating God’s truth to mankind.
6. “Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” The sea is metaphorical, since there is no ocean in heaven. John’s earthly language is limited in trying to describe this majestic sight. Glass making in the first century was not perfected as it is today. Glass was cloudy not see through. Whatever John is seeing it was awe inspiring to his eyes. Some sort of base/floor before the throne was see-through or translucent and sparkling like crystals.
1. “And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian.” The throne of God was not a piece of furniture in a room but a symbol of God’s sovereignty over all things and all people. But John is not mesmerized by the throne but rather by the one on the throne. Sitting conveys the thought of reigning or ruling with authority. Psalm 47:8 “God reigns over the nations, God sits on his holy throne.”
2. Notice that the throne itself is not described. But everyone and everything else is. God is described as having an “appearance of jasper and carnelian”. These are two crystals that can have a translucent effect and together could have a brownish red color tone to them. And with the translucent effect, his body was glowing. Revelation 21:11 gives us a description of jasper in heaven as being, “clear as crystal”. Which would give it a diamond effect.
3. “A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne”. Emeralds are a beautiful green and one of the most awe inspiring gemstones. Imagine light reflecting from this rainbow with richness in color not seen before. We do not find talks about rainbows except for Noah’s Ark and the covenant God made with humanity and here. It would seem that when God created the rainbow on earth, he took it straight from his throne room as a reminder to himself of his promise to mankind.
4. “From the throne came flashes of lighting, rumblings and peals of thunder.” Throne is not contained in a room as we would think on earth. Rather it seems suspended in a three dimensional space. On earth we would run and hide from the power of a lightning storm. In heaven the storm is a small representation of God’s power over all things. The power of one lightning bolt if captured could light 150 million light bulbs for a year. And the sound effects of thunder must have just been amazing for John’s mind to grasp.
5. “Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.” This is just another description of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Seven is the number symbolizing perfection or holiness. The Holy Spirit is represented as light in scripture. Unlike the description in Revelation 1:12 the “lampstand” here in the throne room the spirit of God is described as burning torches. One is soft light the other is blazing light. In the OT torches were associated with war and judgment. Here the Spirit ministry is defeating God’s enemy Satan by illuminating God’s truth to mankind.
6. “Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” The sea is metaphorical, since there is no ocean in heaven. John’s earthly language is limited in trying to describe this majestic sight. Glass making in the first century was not perfected as it is today. Glass was cloudy not see through. Whatever John is seeing it was awe inspiring to his eyes. Some sort of base/floor before the throne was see-through or translucent and sparkling like crystals.
II. THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS(Verse 4 & 10-11)
1. “Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.”
2. Daniel 7:9 “As I looked, thrones were set in place and the ancient of days took his seat.” The thrones were in place but were empty. In John’s revelation the thrones were filled with the 24 elders. It is possible that in Daniel’s vision Christ’s resurrection and redemption had not yet brought the saints from the OT up to heaven. The souls of those who served God before the cross went to SHEOL, the resting place for the souls of the dead. Now those saints are resurrected in heaven with Christ.
3. The 24 elders are humans and not angels. Angels are timeless and do not age. Angels are never crowned or given a throne. But we find in I Chronicles 24 that there were 24 officers in the Levitical priesthood that oversaw worship at the Temple. These elders are worshiping God day and night on his throne.
4. The white garments represent holiness and no one in heaven wore a crown besides these 24 elders except Jesus. Now in verses 10-11 we read, “the 24 elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever. They lay down their crowns before the throne and say; ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being’.” They acknowledge that they are only in heaven because of Christ’s holiness.
1. “Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.”
2. Daniel 7:9 “As I looked, thrones were set in place and the ancient of days took his seat.” The thrones were in place but were empty. In John’s revelation the thrones were filled with the 24 elders. It is possible that in Daniel’s vision Christ’s resurrection and redemption had not yet brought the saints from the OT up to heaven. The souls of those who served God before the cross went to SHEOL, the resting place for the souls of the dead. Now those saints are resurrected in heaven with Christ.
3. The 24 elders are humans and not angels. Angels are timeless and do not age. Angels are never crowned or given a throne. But we find in I Chronicles 24 that there were 24 officers in the Levitical priesthood that oversaw worship at the Temple. These elders are worshiping God day and night on his throne.
4. The white garments represent holiness and no one in heaven wore a crown besides these 24 elders except Jesus. Now in verses 10-11 we read, “the 24 elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever. They lay down their crowns before the throne and say; ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being’.” They acknowledge that they are only in heaven because of Christ’s holiness.
III. THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES(Verse 6b-9)
1. “In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings.”
2. John seems captivated by these living creatures of which nothing like them exists on earth. Yet we find this is not the only time the bible refers to these creatures. Isaiah in his vision of the throne room describes these creatures in Isaiah 6 as seraphs or angels. They were shouting out about the holiness of the Lord Almighty and that the whole earth is filled with his glory.” The prophet Ezekiel also describes an angelic order of 4 cherubim, each with wings and faces of a human, lion, ox, and eagle – also full of eyes. (Ezek. 1:10-11 & 10:12)
3. Once again John refers to the noise of heaven; he hears the words and songs of praise and worship of the Lord. “Day and Night they never stop saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” When Isaiah the prophet records the noise of heaven in the throne room with the creatures leading the chorus of worship he writes in Isaiah 6:4 “At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.”
4. Remember in Revelation 1:17 when John first saw the heavenly Christ he writes, “I fell at his feet as though dead Then he placed his right hand on me and said, do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last, I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever!”
5. Note Isaiah’s reaction to seeing and hearing all that is going on in his vision of the heavenly throne room in Isaiah 6:5-9 “Woe to me! I cried. I am a man of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty. Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, see this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for. Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, here am I. Send me! He said, go and tell the people.” (Our sins are atoned for by the blood of Christ on the Cross, will you go and tell others the message of God’s forgiven through his Son?
1. “In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings.”
2. John seems captivated by these living creatures of which nothing like them exists on earth. Yet we find this is not the only time the bible refers to these creatures. Isaiah in his vision of the throne room describes these creatures in Isaiah 6 as seraphs or angels. They were shouting out about the holiness of the Lord Almighty and that the whole earth is filled with his glory.” The prophet Ezekiel also describes an angelic order of 4 cherubim, each with wings and faces of a human, lion, ox, and eagle – also full of eyes. (Ezek. 1:10-11 & 10:12)
3. Once again John refers to the noise of heaven; he hears the words and songs of praise and worship of the Lord. “Day and Night they never stop saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” When Isaiah the prophet records the noise of heaven in the throne room with the creatures leading the chorus of worship he writes in Isaiah 6:4 “At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.”
4. Remember in Revelation 1:17 when John first saw the heavenly Christ he writes, “I fell at his feet as though dead Then he placed his right hand on me and said, do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last, I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever!”
5. Note Isaiah’s reaction to seeing and hearing all that is going on in his vision of the heavenly throne room in Isaiah 6:5-9 “Woe to me! I cried. I am a man of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty. Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, see this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for. Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, here am I. Send me! He said, go and tell the people.” (Our sins are atoned for by the blood of Christ on the Cross, will you go and tell others the message of God’s forgiven through his Son?