Revelation 45

1
Revelation 4-5

• Throne Scene

2
GOD ON THE THRONE 41-6

• OPEN DOOR INTO HEAVEN (vv. 1-2)
• Ezekiel 11
• 2 Corinthians 121-4
• heavens perspective
• immediate in the Spirit
• sees God on throne

3
The Point

• While things can be frightening and uncertain on
  earth, God is calmly in control and ruling from
  heaven!

Example Sennacherib (2 Kin. 1935)
4
John 1633b
In the world you will have tribulation but be
of good cheer, I have overcome the world
5
GOD ON THE THRONE 41-6

• HIS GLORIOUS APPEARANCE (v. 3)
• throne is referred to over 40 times in
  Revelation
• Micaiah (2 Kin. 2219)
• Representation of God
• Jasper (clear, 2111)
• sardius (red gem)

see also Psalm 8914 972
6
GOD ON THE THRONE 41-6

• Rainbow (v. 3)
• Noahs Covenant
• Perhaps of mercy (Ezekiel 122-28)

7
GOD ON THE THRONE 41-6

• Twenty-four elders (v. 4)
• 12 12
• 12 religion, saints
• 2 X 12 from both testaments
• 12 tribes 12 apostles
• sitting on thrones ruling
• attire gold crowns white robes
• conveys purity and authority

8
GOD ON THE THRONE 41-6

• From the throne (v. 5, 6a)
• lightenings, thunderings, voices
• Exodus 1916
• Other places Rev. 85 119 Ps. 1813, 14

9
GOD ON THE THRONE 41-6

• Seven Spirits (Holy Spirit)
• before the throne as God
• seven is complete
• burning lampstands (illumination)
• guide apostles into truth (Jn. 1613)
• word truth (Jn. 1717)
• word lamp (Ps. 119105)
• Sea of glass calm, no disturbance

10
Four Living Creatures 46b-8

• midst the throne and around the throne
• probably each at a corner
• eyes in front and behind
• see everything
• See Ezekiel 14-21 1020
• role
• guarding (Gen. 324)
• praising God (Rev. 48)
• Called Seraphim (fiery) in Isaiah 61-4 (cf.
  Ezek. 113)

11
Four Living Creatures (46b-8)

• Significance of Descriptions
• LION
• STRENGTH
• CALF
• ENDURANCE, USEFULNESS, SERVICE
• MAN
• INTELLIGENCE
• EAGLE
• VELOCITY, SWIFTNESS

12
Four Living Creatures (46b-8)

• Their message
• purity of God Holy, Holy, Holy
• eternal existence of God was, is, is to come

13
Heavenly Praise (49-11)

• 4 living creatures are closest
• 24 elders
• fall down before Him
• cast their crowns before the throne

14
Heavenly Praise (49-11)

• The Song (v. 11)
• God is worthy of all glory, honor and power
  because all things glorious, honorable and
  powerful come from Him.
• He is the sum of all glory, honor and power
• Anything that is truly glorious, honorable or
  powerful points back to the Creator
• He created all things (cf. Acts 1724-28)

15
An Observation

• Every crude and vulgar religion misplaces the
  glory, honor and power of the Creator into the
  created (idols, men, mens accomplishments,
  animals, sun, moon, stars, etc).
• Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and
  worship and serve the creature rather than the
  Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen (Rom.
  125).

16
Some Questions

• Who or what do you worship?
• Who or what do you serve?
• Why do you believe what you believe?
• Why do you worship where you worship?

17
The Sealed Book (51-4)

• scroll written on inside and out
• in Fathers handLegislator
• seven sealscomplete and perfect will of God
• strong angel proclaimingbut not strong enough to
  open the book

18
No One Able to Open (53, 4)

• none in heaven (angelic)
• none on the earth (man)
• none under the earth (departed spirits)
• No one was found worthy
• Was a Reason To Weep

19
Question

• Who really benefits from the religion of Christ?
  God or Man?
• who benefits from our time spent in worship
  Bible study?
• students teachers?
• who benefits from our giving?
• who benefits from our service, conduct,
  visitations, etc.?
• visitor visited

20
Revelation 5 should impress upon us of our
dependency and need for Christ. . .while doing
the work of the Lord, regardless of how much we
do, we ought to always remember, . . .when you
have done all those things which you are
commanded, say, We are unprofitable servants. We
have done what was our duty to do (Lk. 1710)
All of us were too unworthy to do what Jesus did!
21
So, We benefit!

• Gods will was written (51)
• Gods will needs to be opened and looked at
  (53).
• Christ came to do the will of God, He came and
  took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who
  sat on the throne (56)
• Without the work of Christ, we should all weep!
  We would all be lost in hopelessness!

22
The Lion-Lamb (55-7)

• Interestingly, the one who comforts John was not
  an angel, but an elder
• The elder gives the correct answer to the
  angels question (cf. Eph. 38-11)

23
The Lion-Lamb (55-7)

• The two creatures are hardly similar
• Lion (cf. Gen. 498-12)
• hand on neck of enemies
• brethren bow down
• scepter
• lawgiver
• obedience of the people
• teeth whiter than milk (cf. 1 Pet. 222)

24
The Lion-Lamb (55-7)

• The Root of David
• the source of David
• Matthew 2241-46
• root and offspring of David (2216)

25
The Lion-Lamb

• John beheld the Lamb (v. 6)
• John 129, was slain
• seven horns
• horn power (Deut. 3317 1 Sam. 210 Lk. 169)
• seven horns complete power
• seven eyes identified as the seven spirits of God
  
• probably H. S. (Is. 111, 2)
• sent out into all the earth like gospel (Mk.
  1615 Col. 123)

26
The Lion-Lamb (55-7)

• Lamb approached the Father
• two distinct persons
• only Jesus was able to approach and take scroll
  (1 Tim. 25, 6)
• Jesus, the executive, For I have come down from
  heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of
  Him who sent Me (Jn. 638)

27
The New Song of Redemption

• Revelation 58-10

28
The New Song (58-10)

• the response of the 4 living creatures and the 24
  elders as soon as the Lamb takes the scroll
  falling down
• harp and golden bowls
• heaven is real, but not material(1 Cor. 1550)
• these represent the prayers of the saints

29
proof for instrumental music in the worship of
the church?

• taking something figurative and seeking to
  implement it materialistically
• if one can do it with harps, then why not
  incense?
• why not insist and implement the decorum for
  elders (44)
• why not give the elders thrones to sit on in
  the church?

30
proof for instrumental music in the church?

• what is in heaven is in church?
• angels are in heaven, but are they in the
  blood-built church on earth (Heb. 216)?
• sight is in heaven, faith is in the church on
  earth
• Abraham, Isaac, Jacob in heaven, but were not in
  the church (Lk. 1323-28)
• Lords Supper in church, but not in heaven (1
  Cor. 1126)

31
Music In Worship
If we want to know anything about what the church
on earth is to do, then we need to look at what
God commands the church on earth to do and not at
figurative passages speaking of heaven speaking
to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody in your heart to
the Lord (Eph. 519)
The N.T. Instrument
32
Hebrews 1315

• Therefore by Him let us continually offer the
  sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of
  our lips, giving thanks to His name

33
When God Specified. . .

• to make an ark of gopherwood (Gen. 614)
• speedboat excluded
• ark of cedar excluded
• it eliminated any other kind of wood
• a red heifer without spot (Num. 192)
• black heifer excluded
• red bull excluded
• red heifer with spot excluded

34
When God Specified. . .

• that priests were to come from the tribe of Levi,
  that excluded any other tribe (Heb. 712-14)
• burial in baptism (Rom. 63), it excluded any
  other mode sprinkling, pouring, etc.
• first day of the week for Christians to give
  (1 Cor. 161, 2), it excluded any other day
• speaking in song (singing), it excluded
  playing

RESPECT THE SILENCE OF GOD
35
Voices of the Past

• John Calvin, Musical instruments in celebrating
  the praises of God would be no more suitable than
  the burning of incense, the lighting up of lamps,
  and the restoration of the other shadows of the
  law (Psalms, Vol. 1, p. 539).
• Charles Spurgeon, a Baptist preacher who preached
  to over 10,000 people in London would not allow
  mechanical instruments in worship saying, We do
  not need them they would hinder our praise.

36
Voices of the Past

• John Wesley (Methodist), I have no objection to
  organ in our chapels, provided it is neither
  heard nor seen.
• Alexander Campbell, But I presume, to all
  spiritually-minded Christians such aids would be
  as a cow bell in a concert.
• Ben Franklin, in speaking sarcastically about the
  permissiveness of instrumental music in worship
  said, Where a church never had or has lost the
  Spirit of Christ.

37
The New Song (59, 10)

• Song is new because it speaks of mans
  redemption
• Emphasis on the worthiness of Jesus

38
Jesus Is Worthy

• because He was slain (known from the foundation
  of the world, 138)
• because He redeemed us to God by His blood (cf. 1
  Pet. 118-20)
• out of every tribe, tongue, people, nation
• scope of blood can reach all the world if they
  will obey gospel (Mk. 1615, 16)

39
Jesus Is Worthy

• because he made us kings and priests
• a kingdom and priests (ASV)
• kingdom was a present reality (19)
• Colossians 113, 14
• He has delivered us from the power of darkness
  and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of
  His love, in whom we have redemption through His
  blood. . .

40
Kings and Priests (510)

• Both the kingdom and the priesthood of Christ
  exist at the same time
• Zechariah 612, 13
• Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From
  His place He shall branch out, and He shall build
  the temple of the Lord Yes, He shall build the
  temple of the Lord, He shall bear the glory, and
  shall sit and rule on His throne So He shall be
  a priest on His throne. . .

41
Hebrews 81, 2

• Now this is the main point of the things we are
  saying We have such a High Priest, who is
  seated at the right hand of the throne of the
  Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the
  sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the
  Lord erected, and not man

42
Kings and Priests (510)

• Both the kingdom and priesthood of saints
  exist at the same time through Jesus
• 1 Peter 25, 9
• you also, as living stones, are being built up
  a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up
  spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
  Jesus Christ. . .But you are a chosen generation,
  a royal priesthood, a holy nation. . .

43
Reigning On Earth (v. 10)

• We ought to be reminded that we do presently
  reign!
• Romans 517, For if by the one mans offense
  death reigned through the one, much more those
  who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of
  righteousness will reign in life through the One,
  Jesus Christ.

44
Heavens Praise (511-14)

• Imagine the chorus of 100 million angels plus
  thousands of others erupting in praise (v. 11)
• Ps 1329, Let thy priests be clothed with
  righteousness and let thy saints shout for joy.

45
Heavens Praise (511-14)

• Seven things Jesus is Worthy of
• Power (Gk. dunamis), strength, power like
  dynamite Rom. 116 1 Cor. 124
• Riches abundance, plentitude (2 Cor. 89 Heb.
  1126)
• Wisdom broad and full intelligence(Col. 23)
• Strength force, as in physical power(2 Pet.
  211 might, Eph. 610 119)

46
Heavens Praise (511-14)

• Seven things Jesus is worthy of (cont.)
• Honor that which is given to one by reason of
  rank, reverence (Heb. 29 33)
• Glory splendor brightness (Jn. 114 Heb. 13)
• Blessing (cf. Eph. 13)
• Many of these are used of the Father in 712 all
  heaven is worshiping the Father and Son (513
  Ps. 148)
• Four Living Creatures Amen it (v. 14)