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More Revelation commentaries
Revelation 1:1-8
Jesus is coming again
Revelation 1:9-16
John sees seven golden candlesticks (Churches)
Revelation 1:17-20
Outline of the book of Revelation (v. 19)
Revelation 2:1-7
The Church that lost its first love
Revelation 2:8-11
The Persecuted Church
Revelation 2:12-17
The Compromising Church
Revelation 2:18-29
The Corrupt Church
Revelation 3:1-6
The Spiritually Dead Church
Revelation 3:7-13
The Faithful Church
Revelation 3:14-22
A Lukewarm Church
Revelation 4:1-11
Worship in Heaven
Revelation 5:1-7
The Lamb takes the scroll
Revelation 5:8-14
What is true worship?
Revelation 6:1-8
Four riders on different horses
Revelation 6:9-17
The voice of the Martyrs
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Worship in Heaven
Revelation 4:1–11
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
I once heard the story of a young boy who went to church on a Sunday night. The preacher asked, “How many of you want to go to heaven?” Everybody but this young boy put up his hand. The preacher looked at him and asked, “Son, don’t you want to go to heaven?” & … More
So far the first two divisions of Revelation have been covered (cf. 1:19); the things which John saw (ch. 1) and the things which are during the church age (chs 2-3). Now we come to the largest section of the book which are the things yet future (chs 4-22). From Chapter 4 to the end of the book it deals with things which are yet future. This entire portion is divided into three principal sections: the tribulation period (6:1-19:21); the millennium 20:1-15); and the eternal state (21:1-22:21).
John is commanded to come up to heaven, so that he may see and understand the things that are to happen on earth (v. 1). We are now given sort of a travel-log of the things John saw in this vision. First he saw the throne (v. 2). The one sitting on the throne is identified as God (v. 8) and he is described in terms of two precious stones (v. 3). Jasper is one of various brilliant colors and sardine is a red color. Around the throne was a rainbow of Emerald (green in color) which is a vivid reminder of the faithfulness of God. From the throne came lightening, thunderings and voices. It seems that judgment is pending about ready to break (v.5). Before the throne were seven lamps of fire and a sea of glasslike crystal that is reminiscent of the laver in the temple and a place of cleansing.
The persons around the throne are described as twenty-four elders (v.4). Most writers understand these to be twenty-four redeemed human beings who represent all the redeemed. They are seated on thrones and clothed in white. Then there are “four beasts” who are each different in appearance and praising God day and night (vv. 6-9). The elders who have been seated on their thrones rise and bow themselves before God, casting their crowns before Him and praising Him (vv. 10-11).
Application
John was given a special invitation. What invitation has Jesus given to me? How have I responded?
Revelation 4:1-11 (English Standard Version)
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." At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. 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. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "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."
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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