5 Chapter 4: Vision of God's throne
1. Introduction: the kidnapping and the passage through the open door
While John was on Patmos is Jesus Himself, during His revelation to His beloved disciple, told him the chronological order in which it would be given visions which would be: Write, therefore, the Lord commanded him what you saw, what is and what will happen after: 1.19 Rev. .
In chapter 4, begins, after what John saw (the glorified Lord Jesus), which is (the seven churches of Asia), the time for what comes after: 4.1 . If for what is, the time of the Church, the truths that the Lord wanted to prove that John did not require leave the earth, it will be quite different to those for the time that comes after. Thinking that Jesus gave to Nicodemus in the Gospel by John applies: If, already, it is difficult to believe and understand the spiritual realities that affect the earth, how could it take John those related to Heaven? For this, Jesus said, he would either go to heaven or that heaven descend to us: John 3.12 to 13, 10.6-7 Rom. While Jesus is taken down the sky to explain the realities that affect our salvation, He will raise John to reveal those related to Judgement!
If Jesus said the chronological order in which the place of revelation, it should be noted that this order is not new, but we find it followed in many places in the course of the revelation . There is always a story in the now (what is), where heaven's door is open, and after, when the door closes and another begins Judgement of God on the rebellious world. This timeline is visible
- the days of Noah, where grace is offered until the door closed behind the ark: Genesis 7.6 to 16
- at the time that the angels urged Lot to leave the city gate: Gen 19,1.15 to 17.
- At the time of Moses, the blood on the lintels of the door guaranteed to those she was home, salvation and safety: Exodus 12.21-23
- At time of the Church in which the invitation to enter through the door into the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd what Jesus is addressed to everyone: Jean 10.7 to 9.
This invitation, as we saw in the letter to the church of Laodicea, will last until the end time church. Jesus stands at the door of every heart ready to enter: Rev. 3.20. Anyone who may one day He opens with John up to heaven with him and go through the open door that leads to it. For others, it's time where God's people set free, the door will close and the start time of judgments: Isaiah 26.20 to 21.
2. John's vision: the throne of God, the Father
That promise made by the last winner at the time of the church, promise to do sit with Christ on His throne as He has sitting as the winner, on the throne with His Father, that opens the new time described here in Revelation: Rev. 3.21. This way of connecting different parts of Revelation by hinge elements, so that we find throughout the book, demonstrates the unity that exists in it and the fact that there is no break or discontinuity in time and the works of God. All things in a logical, coherent, followed strung together for one goal: the final fulfillment of God's eternal plan to live with men: cf Rev. 21, 1-3 .
Mounted, into heaven, the immediate vision that prevailed as John was one of God's throne. The throne of God in heaven is, for us children of God, the reality that causes the most certain guarantee of the victory of our faith: 1 John 5.4 to 5. Many despots seated on thrones bully today the world and believers: Marc 10.42. But what gives to believers of all times the strength to resist and stand firm in faith, there is a God in heaven who has a throne: Dan 3.16 to 18, 4.31 to 32; 5.22 to 28.
The vision of the throne of God by John at that stage of revelation is not due to chance. The reference to God's throne is almost always associated in Scripture in the Time of Judgement: Psalm 9,5.8, 11.4; 29.10; 45.4-7, 47.9, 89.14, 99.1 . With the vision of the throne begins the era of Judgement, that is to say, the hour when, after waiting for the peoples and nations rebels, God enters into His kingdom: Ps 110.1; Rev. 11.15 to 19.
More than the throne itself is the one who sat there and loved about him which impressed John. All in their own way and in the manner in which they are described, which reflect the new time begins here.
1. He who sits on the throne: God the Father, honored by the creatures as the Creator, the Author of all that is: v 11 .
His appearance. It looked like a jasper. Jasper is the characteristic of complete transparency: Rev. 21,11.18. Jasper reflects the total purity and sanctity of the total living in God. God had told John, is light and there is no darkness in Him: 1 John 1.5 . The brightness of God's holiness is such that neither Isaiah nor the heavenly creatures that surround the throne of God could not bear it: Isaiah 6.1 to 3. Nothing, said Jesus, can not remain hidden, secret or obscure in the presence God: Luke 8.17, 12.2 . Everything is uncovered and laid bare before Him to whom we have to realize: 4.13 Heb. Jasper characterizes God also characterized the entire wall of the city where we dwell with Him as well as its first foundation: Rev. 21.18 to 19.
He also had the appearance of the sardine. As we have seen in the study of the 5th letter for the churches, the city of Sardis, where she was on quantity, the stone called sardonyx derives its name. While Jasper was clear as crystal, carnelian is characterized by the fiery red, the color of justice and trial. The sardine mixed with jasper reminds us that with holiness, it is justice and the law are the foundation of His throne Psalm 89.14; 97.2 . Trained and prepared for trial, the throne of God and the appearance of Him who sits testify that the Judgement of God is the time where everyone gets somewhere wages, unpaid on his works so far: Rev. 16, 4-6 .
Note also that the carnelian and jasper, which characterize the nature of God the Father seated on the throne were two stones located at the beginning and the end of the series of 12 jewels embedded on the breastplate of the priest: Exodus 28.17 to 20.28 to 30, the breastplate of Judgement
2. Surrounding the throne
a. Arc-en-ciel
If he who sits upon the throne represents the absolute holiness and justice, the throne whole appears in John's vision surrounded by a rainbow sky emerald. The presence of the rainbow, symbol of the grace of God to all mankind: Genesis 9.12 to 17, surrounding the throne of the Judge recalls that until justice is entirely spent on the world, grace and forgiveness of God are given by God to humanity: Rev. 14.6 to 7.
b. 24 other thrones
Around God's throne were 24 other thrones on which sat 24 elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and girded with a golden crown: v 4. While the hour of trial approach to the world, God wanted to involve in its performance all the son of Abraham, with whom he formed an alliance: the son of Jacob, representing the twelve tribes of Israel and 12 apostles 8.11 Mat. John's vision is the fulfillment of the promise made by Jesus to His people: 19.28 Mat. According to Paul, the saints will judge the world not only with Christ, but even the angels 6.2 to 3 1 Cor. If the trial is when the rebellious world accountable to God for these crimes, God considers it fair to associate all those who, among the Jewish people and the Church have been victims of his wickedness Rev. 6.10 to 11. Experience proves it: the conviction of a criminal is recognized as decisive a factor in the healing of its victims. The association of the saints of God in ruling the world will be one of the elements that contribute to total healing of their souls into the kingdom of God: see Revelation 22.2
c. : Lightning, thunder and voices:
the throne himself, says Jean came out lightnings, voices and thunders: v 5. While in the current era, which offered to want to approach a throne of grace Heb 4:16, lightning, voices and thunderous show of what, at this time, He who fills the seat. The time has come when the world will face God as He is, as Moses was known for his hand when he received the tablets of the law: Exodus 19.16. The vision was so frightening that the whole people, standing well away yet, "begged Moses to mediate between God and him, the fear he felt for the simple fact of the terrorizing hear His voice: Exodus 20, 19; Heb 12.18-21. This is the God of law, the perfection that the world must now answer for his crimes.
d. the seven lamps:
before the throne burn seven lamps, which are said to John, the seven spirits of God or the Spirit of God in His fullness v 5. Illuminating presence of the Spirit of God on the Day of Judgement reflects the fact that all judgments will be made at all will be informed. For, says Paul, the Spirit of God is able to fathom all, including things that are deeper in God Himself: 1 Cor 2.10. Any light will be shed here on the works, thoughts and motivations of each person without a way or another can not refute anything in the accusations or charges brought against him. Everyone will be known, not as he thinks, or as others think it is, but as God knows: 1 Cor 13.9 . Blessed is he who, on this day, has accepted the light that the Spirit of God was on his life and has been purified of its many sins by the blood of Christ: 1 John 1.6 to 9.
e. Sea glass
Before the throne is still like a sea of glass like unto crystal: v 6 . Vision reported here is reminiscent lived at the time of Moses by the 70 elders of the people of Israel: Exodus 24.10 to 11. She, reported to us that, despite being faced with the luster of the beauty and glory of God, the elite of Israel did not perish. She saw God, and she even ate and drank in his presence. The sea of glass on which stand the representatives of God's people as a whole reflects the incredible privilege which enjoy all pardoned. Become the elite of humanity, they will stand without fear in his presence enjoying a freedom inconceivable if we think the perfection of the person before whom they stand.
f. the 4 living beings:
A final element is difficult to imagine for us, ends the description of the vision of the throne passed by John: the vision of four living creatures, all different in appearance, but with point common vision as outsized: 6-8 v . John's vision includes point by point that given centuries before Ezekiel when he received his calling as a prophet: Ezec 1.10 . On Judgement Day, God is good here to gather all His people, who comes from the earth, as one who is in heaven. For this common point that, ultimately, Christ, says Paul, died on the Cross: Ephesians 1.9 to 10. For some commentators, the 4 living beings are the representatives of all God's creation. The lion represents the brute force of nature, veal, force domesticated man, intelligent force and the eagle, strength crowned. If this interpretation is correct, it agrees with the main activity that the 4 people practice: to give glory to Him who they say, has created, that is to say from whom they derive their strength!
3. The worship of God the Father: 8-11 v
Strikingly, it appears that in the sky, something absorbs the vision and contemplation of beings: the grandeur, beauty, fame Person of God. "While on earth, it says" There is no God in heaven we only see him! "Said one commentator.
Two aspects of worship and adoration rendered to God the Father emerge from the words spoken by humans live like the ancients:
first aspect: what God is: His two characters People are celebrated here: His absolute holiness (hence the three words: Isaiah 6.3) and its timeless: It was, and He is coming. Holy God is the master of time and history. It is He who has begun, it is also the one who enter!
second aspect: He is worthy ... In expressing the desire that what belongs to God Himself is rendered, the elders, who have seen and experienced how God's name has been violated here, express the desire that this state of affairs continues. Yes! it is time that the will of God, upset, rejected, challenged be done on earth as in heaven 6.10 Mat. It is time that the honor of God, His glory, His rights were finally restored! For it is that everything comes from Him and it is also by Him all things hold together. May our prayer today to join them!
I am coming soon!
