Book of Revelation:
Vision to Strengthen the Saints
Revelation 4-5
Scene 2: Understanding Worship
OIF
Jesse McLaughlin
The 8 Scenes of Revelation
#
Scenes
1
1:19-3:22
Church in
the World
2
4:1-8:1
Suffering
for Church
3
8:2-11:18
Warnings
for World
4
11:19-15:4
Drama of
History
5
15:5-16:21
Punishment
for World
6
17:1-19:10
Babylon the
Whore
7
19:11-21:8
Drama
Behind
History
8
21:9-22:19
Jerusalem
the Bride
7 Settings
Opening
scene
Seven letters
dictated
John turns to
see who is
speaking
Summary
Special
focus
Key thought
Christ speaks to
the 7 churches
7 commonalities
with pointed
differences.
Cure for
lukewarmness?Re
admit the excluded
Christ! p.58
Book of
Revelation
Comparing Daniel & Revelation
Daniel
The prophet looks:
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
“As I looked, thrones were
placed…” (7:9)
The Throne:
Scene 2
Revelation
The prophet looks:
“After this I looked, and behold, a
door standing open in heaven!” (4:1)
The Throne:
“thrones were placed, and the
Ancient of Days took his seat”
(7:9)
“behold, a throne stood in heaven,
with one seated on the throne.” (4:2)
The books:
The scroll:
“the court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened”
(4:10)
“he can open the scroll and its seven
seals” (5:5)
Book of
Revelation
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
The Visons Continue
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.” (Rev. 4.1)
• “heaven” and the throne room
• “what must take place after this” signifies the next scene
in the sequence of the visions
Scene 2
Book of
Revelation
Worshiping the Creator
• The throne is at the center of the scene that John
relates to us in chapter 4.
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
– “Throne” is repeated 17 times in chapters 4 &5 and 47 times
in the book.
– Descriptions draw on OT imagery
• The 24 elders
• The 4 living creatures
Scene 2
Book of
Revelation
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
Scene 2
Worshiping the Creator
“And around the throne, on each side of the throne,
are four living creatures, 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.” Rev. 4:6-7
Book of
Revelation
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
Worshiping the Creator
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
Rev. 4:8
_____________________________________
“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.”
Rev. 4:11
Scene 2
Book of
Revelation
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
The Scroll
• Contains God’s plan for judgement and redemption
• John is in despair because the scroll cannot be opened
• It is possible that John is seeing a Roman will:
1. Contents summarized on the back of the scroll
2. Sealed by 7 witnesses
3. Unsealed and enforced upon the death of the one that
made the will
4. A trusted executor would carry out the details of the will
Scene 2
Book of
Revelation
The Lamb
• “The Lion of the tribe of Judah”
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone
up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness;
who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from
Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute
comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the
peoples. (Gen. 49:9-10)
• The Lamb is a reference to the Passover lamb and to
Isaiah’s messianic prophecy:
Scene 2
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not
his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a
sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his
mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)
The Lamb
Book of
Revelation
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
• The Lamb has perfect power and wisdom (number 7)
• The 24 elders lead a new song that begins a worship
sequence consisting of three hymns.
Hymn 1:
“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, and you have made them a kingdom
and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the
earth.” (Rev. 5:9-10)
Scene 2
The Lamb
Book of
Revelation
Hymn 2:
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”(Rev. 5:12)
Hymn 3:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and
ever!” (Rev. 5:13)
Scene 2
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the
elders fell down and worshiped. (Rev. 5:14)
Book of
Revelation
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
Scene 2
Summary
In chapters 4-5 we witness the fulfillment of OT prophecy
and we see the glory of God and of the Lamb. The work of
God in creation and in redemption are viewed as a unified
whole. The response of all creation to seeing the divine
plan unfold is God glorifying worship.
Book of
Revelation
Discussion Questions
1. What does this view of the “heavenly” throne
room teach us about worshipping God?
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
2. What does this passage have to tell us about the
person and work of Christ?
Scene 2
Book of
Revelation
Lesson 4
Chs. 4-5
Scene 2
Reading Reminder
Please read chapters 6-8:1 this week to
be prepared for in-depth study of next
Sunday’s lesson on the breaking of the
seals.