Revelation 4:1-6a
The Throne Room
How do you picture heaven? The only way is through descriptions Scripture offers us. We began this study with John introducing Christ, the King, in Chapter One, Jesus’ end-time leadership development in Chapters Two and Three, and now we’re ready to enter into the main vision that prepares us for events coming in the last days. God’s endless love has always driven Him to communicate with us, develop relationships, and He chose the idea of ‘kingship’ to help us know Him better and, therefore, understand the end times with faith and hope.
Gen. 1:26-28 promised humanity dominion over the earth, a kingdom, well, that kingdom awaits Nike believers at Jesus’ return, however, God has never left His throne and rules the universe from that seat of honor we ‘see’ in this chapter. John was given vision-access into God’s throne room through an open door and a familiar, trumpet-like Voice (Ch. 1). His invitation had purpose: “I will show you what must take place after this.” There’s absolute certainty in this vision of what will eventually happen and we’re to be ready for it but, for now, our eyes must be focused on God, the Father who is pictured as seated alone on the throne.
To you I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! Psalm 123:1
Word-pictures are coming to help us envision the scene: gems of glistening diamond-like clarity, illustrious ruby-red, and a surrounding halo of emerald green. That’s not all, around that all-authoritative throne we ‘see’ 24 other thrones who are undoubtedly the 12 tribal heads from the Old Testament and the 12 original apostles of the New dressed in the white garments of righteousness with golden crowns on their heads (Matt. 19:28). This circular picture helps us envision our reigning King.
If that wasn’t enough we continue to read about lightning, thunder, and four living creatures strategically placed around this seat of power. We know this pictures God, the Father because the Lamb, Jesus, enters in the next chapter, but we do find the Holy Spirit pictured again as the Seven Spirits of God passionately burning like torches of fire. God’s love for us has always been pictured as intimate and jealous never leaving us without hope for our futures: The end of times are no different.
But You, O Lord, reign forever; Your throne endures to all generations.
Lamentations 5:19
Finally, there is a sea of Waterford-type crystal presumably symbolic of God’s majesty, holiness, and transcendence: His divine separation.
Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool; what is the house that you would build for Me, and what is the place of My rest? Isaiah 66:1
John’s vision has one main purpose: to reveal. Whether it’s the devil-inspired events in the world or suffering in our own family: He is the sovereign King ruling from this place.
Comments are closed.