Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
Scripture Reading
Revelation 4
This series largely follows
Darrell Johnson’s book, Discipleship on the Edge.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
Have you ever wondered why 2
people can look at the very same
thing and arrive at different
conclusions?
One says the glass is half full.
One says the glass is half empty.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
We all wear glasses.
Glasses [perspectives] made by
our past experiences.
They colour the way we see
reality,
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
One sees life’s situation as
hopeless.
One sees hope in the same
situation.
It all depends of perspective.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
John writes down the visions he
receives and sends it to the
churches.
Churches faced with persecution.
-Faced with daily evidence of
Rome’s superior might.
- statues, temples, armies
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
To these people who with their
naked eyes saw only the power of
the oppressor,
Jesus through John gives the
vision of the throne.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
Look! A Throne!
[17x in Rev 4-5, 40x in Revelation]
Notice who is seated on it,
Or who is not seated on it.
Not the Roman emperor.
Not their persecutors.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
To those who are uncertain about
what the future will bring,
God gives them a vision of a throne
in heaven.
Let us look more closely at this
throne.
What’s on it, comes from it,
behind it, before it, and around it.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
On the Throne
“At once I was in the Spirit, and there
before me was [Look!] a throne in
heaven with someone sitting on it.” v.2
Great news!
The throne of the universe is not
empty.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
It can often feel like there is no
one in control.
Can you imagine how the early
Christians felt?
By 95 A.D. Emperor Domitian had
40,000+ Christians killed.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
Someone is on the throne.
Who is that someone?
v.3 “And the one who sat there had the
appearance of jasper and carnelian”
-Compared to the brilliance of
precious stones
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
On the Throne
I Timothy 6:15-16:
“God, the blessed and only Ruler,
the King of kings and Lord of
lords, 16who alone is immortal
and who lives in unapproachable
light, whom no one has seen or
can see.”
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
On the Throne
Day and night the four living
creatures praise him:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God
Almighty, who was, and is, and is
to come.” v.8
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
On the Throne
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come.” v.8
Holy = wholly other, totally pure
Lord = ruler
God =
Almighty = pantocratos all powerful
Was, is, is to come =always present
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
On the Throne
The 24 elders lay their crowns
before the throne saying:
"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.” v.11
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
On the Throne
"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.” v.11
God created and will recreate again
Rev 21:5 “Look! I make all things new.”
“By your will they were created and
have their being.”
All owe their ongoing existence to God
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
From the Throne
Rev 4:5: “From the throne came flashes of
lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.”
Exodus 19: 16-18: On the morning of
the third day there was thunder and
lightning, with a thick cloud over the
mountain, and a very loud trumpet
blast… Mount Sinai was covered
with smoke, because the LORD
descended on it in fire.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
From the Throne
Rev 4:5: “From the throne came flashes of
lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.”
Darrell Johnson points out that we see
this echoed in the judgments of God.
7th Seal: “peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of
lightning and an earthquake.”
Rev. 8:5
7th Trumpet:
“flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of
thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.” 11:19
7th Bowl:
“flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of
thunder and a severe earthquake” Rev. 16:18
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
From the Throne
Rev 4:5: “From the throne came flashes of
lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.”
God has the right to judge evil.
God is able to overcome evil.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
Behind the Throne
“A rainbow, resembling an emerald,
encircled the throne.” 4:3
Rainbow a symbol of God’s
promise and faithfulness
Reminder of God’s saving mercy:
God welcomes sinners
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
In Front of the Throne
“Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These
are the seven spirits [sevenfold spirit] of God.” v.5
“Seven Spirits of God means the
Spirit of God completely there,
completely available, completely
complete.” Johnson. p. 136
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
In Front of the Throne
“Also before the throne there was what looked
like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” v.6
Various interpretations
-Basin as in the temple
- a sea we must travel through to
get to God [like the Red Sea]
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
In Front of the Throne
“Also before the throne there was what looked
like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” v.6
The Sea = chaos
The Sea is used in Revelation to
represent all that opposes God.
The beast arises out of the sea.
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
In Front of the Throne
“Also before the throne there was what looked
like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” v.6
To the church, “like a little boat
being tossed on stormy waters”
[p.137]
this was good news – chaos will not
win.
With Revelation 4 glasses, we see
that nothing can overcome the
One on the throne!
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
Around the Throne
“Surrounding the throne were twentyfour other thrones, and seated on them
were twenty-four elders. They were
dressed in white and had crowns of gold
on their heads…. around the throne,
were four living creatures, and they
were covered with eyes, in front and in
back.” vv.4,6
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
Around the Throne
24 Elders represent the 12 tribes
of Israel and the 12 apostles
- The redeemed people of God
who were promised that they
would rule with Christ
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
Around the Throne
The four living creatures most
likely represent all creation.
All are worshipping
Worshipping the One on the
Throne!
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
How does looking at the Throne
change your view of your reality?
With Revelation 4 glasses, we see
clearly that our circumstances no
matter how bad will not have the
final say
Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –
Look! A Throne!
Therefore we join the worship
that is already happening,
praising our awesome God.