Beholding the Glory of God

Revelation 4-5

Introduction

Two years ago, we were driving home from church on a Sunday night in the winter. It was already dark and as we turned onto our street the sky was suddenly lit up. The light was coming over the horizon, but I couldn’t tell what it was. It seemed too bright to be city lights reflecting off evening clouds.

As I pulled into the garage, I hopped and used an old astronomers’ trick to hide my eyes from the street lights and let myself focus on the sky. And as my eyes focused, I realized what I was seeing – the Aurora borealis; the Northern Lights. And they were spectacular!

The light spread across the sky, twisting and dancing, changing shades and hues, pulsing brighter and brighter. I had never seen anything like it. And I couldn’t stop looking!

After the kids went to bed, I put my winter coat and gloves – it was around 2 degrees that night – and stood on my back step trying to take it all in. I would come back inside and drink hot chocolate, get warmed up for a few minutes, then be back outside for more.

It was truly one of the most spectacular, beautiful things I had ever seen – and I just couldn’t get enough of it. I was up to almost 3 in the morning, forsaking sleep and enduring the negative wind-chill temperatures just to look at it.

This morning, my hope is to take us to the Bible and see God in this way. To so behold his majesty and glory, that we cannot look away. To be so enthralled with him that we begin to see sin and temptation as worthless and wholly unappealing.

Last week, I said seeing the worth of God was the key to losing our desires for sin. And if we didn’t have that kind of deep longing for God, we should pray for it. This morning and for the next few weeks, I do more than that – I want to actually open God’s word and reveal the glory of God.

To do that this morning, we are going to look at Revelation 4-5.

As a quick introduction to this book, let me say that it is pretty unique, written in vivid, highly symbolic language to depict heavenly and earthly realities. It was written to encourage a church that was undergoing severe persecution. Through this revelation – or unveiling of Jesus Christ, God intended that his people would be able to look past their difficulties and overcome.

The strength to endure persecution and to overcome sin was through beholding the glory of God. I pray that this ancient book will have the same effect on us this morning.

1. The Throne of God (4:1-7)

Rev. 4:1-7 – After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” [2] At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. [3] And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. [4] Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. [5] From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, [6] and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: [7] 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.

The throne room is the center of the imagery of this vision and the entire book. John hears the voice of the risen Christ say to him, “come up here.” In his vision, he is brought by the Spirit to the very gates of heaven. And he is given a glimpse of God. But notice how he describes God … names precious stones, and a rainbow.

Some of these are different than the stone we think of, even if they have the same name. Jasper would be white. Carnelian or sometimes called sardine – this isn’t a fish, but a precious often mined at Sardis is scarlet red. The emerald as we know was green. And then there is a rainbow ringed around the throne.

Now why does he use these stones? Some have tried to look at the individual stones and attribute to them some representative trait that they then ascribe to God. But most scholars don’t think that’s the point. The point is – how do describe God?

How do you describe a God that is purer than the driven snow? More magnificent than the most majestic sunset? More entrancing than a millions shining stars? More nourishment than the best of foods? More firm and more tender in love than the wisest and best parents? More awesome than all of the unleashed forces of nature? How do you describe a God like that?

There are no words and that’s why John results to describing the glory of God resorts to the shine and beauty of precious gems. In the end, God is so glorious, so majestic, that words cannot be used to describe him God’s greatness is indescribable.

But John doesn’t stop at trying to describe God, he goes on to describe the rest of the throneroom. He says surrounding God there are 24 thrones and on them are 24 elders. These elders are a high order of angelic beings – who in themselves are in some way royal (they have golden crowns). They are pictured as serving in the heavenly court and leading heavenly worship of God.

Then we are also told that God’s throne is surrounded by four living creatures. And if were to read this literally, these guys would be weird looking. But because of the kind of literature this is, we are supposed read these things as symbolic. The lion represents royalty. The ox represents power. The human face is to represent wisdom. And the eagle is probably meant to display compassion, care, and swiftness.

You see eagles push their young out of the nest to teach them to fly. The dad eagle circles below in case they’re not ready. This is why in Exodus, God tells Israel “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself” (Ex 19:4). They weren’t quite ready to be a nation yet, and God cared for them and protected them.

We are also told these being have six wings. We see similar angelic beings in Isaiah’s vision of God, and are there told why six – “Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew” (Isa 6:2).

The eyes are to represent – oddly enough – seeing. If you are covered with eyes, it means you see everything. Here are creatures that are granted an extension of God’s omniscience. Nothing is withheld from their sight as they oversee God’s affairs, and have the speed and power necessary to carry out his will.

And then there are “the burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God,” before God’s throne” (4:5). These torches represent THE Holy Spirit. He is the one who perfectly and completely gives off the light of God’s glory, penetrating hearts, bringing wisdom to God’s people and consuming flame to the wicked.

So, what’s the significance of all these beings surrounding the throne? In every culture, important people are surrounded by other important people. The more important you are, the more people are around you. Your people have flunkies who themselves have flunkies. I have no one around me. If you dropped by on a Saturday morning around breakfast time, I would probably say, ‘C’mon in and have some chocolate chip pancakes.’

But if you were to go to the White House, you’re not getting in. Even if you went to his farm in Texas, President Bush is not going to answer the front door in his jeans and cowboy hat and invite you in for gravy and grits. He has all kinds of people around him, protecting him and his time.

Likewise with God, the fact that such powerful, majesty – such glorious beings – surround his throne says something about the level of power, majesty, and glory that belong to God himself.

But John keeps going. He describes the throneroom as having flashes of lightening and peals of thunder. Before nuclear power, the most powerful form of energy known to humanity was nature unleashed in violent storms. It wasn’t something to be harnessed, but something to be feared. You sought shelter from it. And it’s that kind of power that emanates from the throne of God.

Then John describes what something like a “sea of glass, like crystal.” I’ve always thought that it meant that the sea looked calm because it was smooth. So, as I was reading about this in study this week, I found out that in the first century, they didn’t know how to make clear glass; it had many imperfections that caused the light to refract and shine. So, the idea here is not that the sea is smooth, but that it is glittering, sparkling.

Furthermore, the sea did not have nice associations like today. We go to the sea for vacation and rest. But not for them. To the ancient people, it represented chaos, confusion, and evil – a sea that violently turns up mud and mire, as in Isaiah. So, here John sees the sea surging with the storms letting loose over it, reflecting the violent light and color of the lighting flashing over it.

Even the sinfulness of the world, which would separate John from God is here seen as under the command and control of the One who sits on the heavenly throne.

How do we think of God? A kindly old grandfather in heaven? Some kind of divine superman?

Our visions of God – even the best of them – are simply too small. This is not some cuddly grandfather God whose lap you climb up into. He is the one who stands behind the storms, you dare not approach.

The picture you get here is one of John being far off. He looks across this giant sea of glass with thunder and lightning, a rainbow circling the throne, seven lamps blazing forth light, and 24 thrones surrounding God, with 24 elders leading most glorious worship, these angels of the highest rank, which have authority and importance.

Not only is God far off, but he surrounded by these important angelic beings, and so he himself has ultimate authority he is no one to be trifled with. He is God of infinite power and majesty and holiness and glory.

A God worthy of eternal worship – and that is what we see.

2. The Worship of God (4:8-10)

Notice that these angelic creatures are not just hovering around to get exercise, or look impressive. They are worshipping God.

Not only do they worship, but look at how often they worship – “day and night they never cease to” worship. They endlessly praise God for his lordship over his creation his power.

This is there primary duty. Now, as we have already mentioned and you will see as you read the rest of the book, these angelic beings have other functions. But all of them arise from this purpose of eternal worship.

Look at the hymn they sing: it praises God for his holiness. This begs the question, doesn’t it? ‘What is holiness.’ Often we will say it means a separateness. So, is that what they are singing?

‘Separate, separate, separate is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’ That doesn’t sound right.

Doesn’t holiness have something to do with being moral? ‘Moral, moral, moral is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’ That’s no good either.

The truth is, the word ‘holy’ has a number of different usages, but when predicated on God, it is as close to an adjective for God himself – it speaks of his God-ness. God is God and he alone in that sense is holy. He is everything he is, and not like us. Everything else that exists is not God. In that sense, only God is holy. And his holiness stands at the foundation for all of his other attributes.

However, that which is associated with God can be holy. Like the shovel that takes out the ash from the altar in the temple. Not because it’s moral, but because it is reserved exclusively for God.

Likewise, we can be called holy as God’s people – we have been purchased for him, set apart from the world for his service. But we are more than just shovels; we are moral beings. So, we are called to act like God – act in a way that is keeping with God’s character.

It is that sense of holiness – God’s God-ness – that lies at the center of heavenly worship. He is not so much worshiped for what he does for people, or how he makes us feel, or why we like him. He is worshipped for being God – for being supremely like God and no other.

But the worship doesn’t stop there. The four living creatures begin to sing and that provokes the 24 elders to sing as well. Then they cast their crowns to the one, true King. Verse 10 says, “the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘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.’”

In Roman society the lower rulers would lay their crown before Caesar to demonstrate their loyalty to him. Thus, these elders are proclaiming their loyalty to God, and in doing so, they sing, “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.”

Their singing is antiphonal (like a responsive reading, this is responsive singing). The creatures’ song focused on God’s attributes – his person. Here the elders respond by singing of those works which flow from God’s character.

They proclaim that God is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. Why? Because he has created all things, and in his providence – that is, by his will – he sustains and provides for his creation.

I have heard several pastors over the years says, ‘If you don’t like worshipping God with God’s people, you won’t like heaven.’  And I think they’re right.

Despite the many wrong ways we get worship wrong – a lack of joy or a lack of reverence; songs that are too cheesy or songs that are pretentious; lifeless forms of liturgy or equally empty services devoid of any liturgy.

Despite all of these wrong expressions of worship, the truth is, the central activity of heaven will be the gathering of all God’s people and all the angelic host in passionate, God-centered, Christ-exalting, Spirit-empowered worship.

Like the worship displayed here, there will be no self-promotion, no whining of preferences. Worship will never more like entertainment than communion with God. Instead, it will perfectly exalt God, giving him the “glory and honor and power” only he is worthy to receive.

So, why not practice now? Why not come and participate with biblical, heavenly, even angelic motives and attitudes as we worship the living God?

3. The Lamb of God (5:1-14)

John begins saying that he saw a scroll in the hand of God. Rev 5:1 – 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.

The scroll is in the right hand of God – the traditional symbol for the hand of power and authority. Furthermore, the scroll is one that has writing on its front and back and is sealed with seven seals. The scroll represents God plan of creation and redemption – all that he has decreed will come about.

This scroll is comprehensive; there is too much writing for one side scroll (thus writing on the front and back). The seven seals emphasize it completeness, focusing on the fullness of the divine plan. It is perfect and is to be revealed at the perfect time.

You can imagine the excitement John feels at seeing this scroll – a visual representation of the very plan and will of God, ready to be fulfilled. And yet, he says he “saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.” (5:2-4).

John weeps because no one is worthy to break the seals of the scrolls and bring about the will of God. All of these mighty and majestic angelic beings – the elders and the creatures; the unnumbered myriad of other angels all around and no one is worthy.

But then the elder says ‘Weep no more! Look, there is the Lion of Judah, the Root of David.’ John turns around and what does he see? A Lion? No, a Lamb – standing as if slain. Is he dead? No! Jesus Christ, the Lamb bears on himself the marks of his crucifixion for us. This is why the elder can describe him as one who “conquered.” He has conquered death and the devil through his own death and resurrection.

John continues to describe the Lamb – [he had] “seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”

The horns symbolize power; specifically, the power of a Warrior Messiah who has destroyed God’s enemies. The eyes again symbolize the all-seeing nature of the Lamb. John mentions the Holy Spirit here again. Thus we see that the Spirit is mentioned with both the Father and the Son; the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son to carry out their mission in the world.

Seven symbolizes perfection or completeness. So here, the Lamb’s omnipotence and omniscience is emphasized. Like God himself, the Lamb is all-powerful and all-knowing. This is the Lamb-like Lion, Jesus Christ who John sees in heaven.

And I just love this – as Christ approaches the throne and takes up the scroll, all of heaven knows what it means. This is no time for weeping! The One worthy to bring about God’s will – to fulfill the divine plan stand before them. And the entirety of heaven breaks out in worship of the Lamb!

Rev 5:8-14 – And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. [9] And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, [10] and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” [11] 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, [12] 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!” [13] 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!” [14] And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Can you even imagine? Standing in heaven when all of heaven begins to worship Christ? The beautiful voices – voices created just to bring God glory – singing with power that can shake mountains, the most glorious songs in worship in God?

Why is the Lamb worthy to open the scroll? Why is worthy to receive worship? Why does all of heaven stop and bow to him when he approaches the heavenly throne?

Because he has given his own perfect, glorious life to save sinners. As the Lion-like Lamb, Jesus is the divine warrior who has defeated God’s enemies. But how has he done it? He has done it by dying as the Lamb! Through his own death, he has defeated the evil one. Because he has become victorious, Jesus the Lamb is worthy to take the scroll and break its seals.

In his book, To End All Wars, Ernest Gordon tells the true story of a group of POWs working on the Burma Railway dur­ing World War II. The scene was made even more unforgettable because of the movie by the same title. In one part, he tells the following story:

The day’s work had ended; the tools were being counted, as usual. As the party was about to be dis­missed, the Japanese guard shouted that a shovel was missing. He insisted that someone had stolen it to sell to the Thais. Striding up and down before the men, he ranted and denounced them for their wickedness, and most unforgivable of all their ingratitude to the Emperor. As he raved, he worked himself up into a paranoid fury. Screaming in broken English, he demanded that the guilty one step forward to take his punishment. No one moved; the guard’s rage reached new heights of violence.

“All die! All die!” he shrieked. To show that he meant what he said, he cocked his rifle, put it to his shoulder and looked down the sights, ready to fire at the first man at the end of them.

At that moment the Argyll [Highlander] stepped forward, stood stiffly to attention, and said calmly, “I did it.”

The guard unleashed all his whipped-up hate; he kicked the helpless prisoner and beat him with his fists. Still the Argyll stood rigidly to attention, with the blood streaming down his face. His silence goaded the guard to an excessive rage. Seizing his rifle by the barrel, he lifted it high over his head and with a final howl, brought it down on the skull of the Argyll, who sank limply to the ground and did not move. Although it was perfectly clear that he was dead, the guard contin­ued to beat him and stopped only when exhausted.

The men of the work detail picked up their com­rade’s body, shouldered their tools and marched back to camp. When the tools were counted again at the guard-house no shovel was missing.

The guard had miscounted. The young soldier who stepped forward had not stolen a shovel. He had given his life for his friends.

That is the kind of death Christ the Lamb willingly went to. A death he did not deserve to save sinners who did not deserve the salvation they were given. That is why he is worthy; not just of the worship of heaven, but of our worship as well.

Conclusion

This is the God of the Bible. This is the God who created the universe and sustains by the word of his power. This is the God who sent his Son to die in the place of sinners, winning salvation for them from their sins.

This is the God of eternal and unimaginable majesty, power, and glory. This is a God who is worthy of our praise. This is the God who invites us into fellowship with himself through the risen Christ. The God who shows grace and mercy to his people.

This is God – behold his glory!