Sermon Devotional: Enter the Throne Room
Sermon Title: Enter the Throne Room
Scripture: Revelation 4 (ESV)
One of the gifts of a study of the book of Revelation is the invitation to more closely consider heaven. Often, we live our lives in our present home while the reality of our future, eternal home receives little thought. “Anyway, heaven is a mystery. It is for a future day,” we argue, “so why waste time wondering about our eternity when ‘today has enough trouble of its own?’” But a wise saying from the Rule of Benedict instructs, “Day by day remind yourself that you’re going to die” when we will “be with the Lord forever” (1Thes 4:17). To remember eternity is to live here and now in the light of eternity.
Chapter 4 takes us into the magnificent throne room of God. It’s a stunning, color-filled, glistening, be-jeweled, majestic scene! Prayerfully, humbly enter the throne room along with John with your imagination awake and with a receptive mind and heart. John hears the voice of Jesus “like a trumpet blast” (v. 1). It is the same voice that John first encountered in Rev 1:10-18. “A door is standing open” (v. 1) and John peers through. What has been closed, what has been utter mystery, is now open and revealed for all who will see. With Jesus himself as his guide, John is commanded not to simply “sneak a peek” but to enter in, to “Come up here,” and to understand what is there to behold! Jesus wants John to see the throne room resplendent in the glory of God. He wants him to see all the people of God, witness the judgment and the justice of God, and see the conclusion of human history that is to follow. To experience the reality of the heavenly throne room will sustain John’s readers and provides us the unshakable foundation we need when John is shown “what must happen after this” (v. 1).
Entering through the door John sees “a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it” (v. 2). Who is this “someone”? It is “the Lord God Almighty” (v. 8)! “The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow” (v. 3). Surely, the glory of God is manifest in the throne room. The ruby-red carnelian is the first stone of the breastplate of the OT high priests and jasper, like a diamond, is the last. These, along with the other ten stones of the breastplate, represent the twelve tribes of Israel (Ex 28:17). John names the first and the last of the twelve stones, symbolically indicating that all the chosen people of God are included in the throne room scene. These stones, the carnelian and the jasper, will appear again as the new city of God is described in Rev 21. There is the glow of an emerald rainbow glimmering around his throne, reminiscent of the rainbow covenant given to Noah in Gen 9:12-17. And the one seated on the throne is faithful to keep his covenant-word. God’s justice will prevail! His gracious promise of redemption and his assurance of salvation will sustain the chosen people of God who cling to this hope even in the midst of the judgment to come.
There is much more to see and understand in God’s throne room. It isn’t a static scene but an active one. The omnipotent power, the mighty Presence, and the unparalleled glory and majesty of God are on display. “From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder” (v. 5). Around God’s throne, twenty-four elders wear crowns of gold and seven torches flame with fire. But the great action in the throne room revolves around four living beings, “each covered with eyes, front and back, . . . with six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out” (vv. 6, 8). They are nearest to the throne and stand as all-seeing witnesses of the holiness and purity of God. They see the righteousness of those who are overcomers and the sinfulness of those who reject God. The four living creatures cry out day and night never ceasing to worship the One on the throne. “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” (v. 8).
“Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
‘You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.’” (vv. 9-11).
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee. May it be so, Living God.
Consider –
╬ Now that you have entered the glorious heavenly throne room with John, how might this experience encourage and strengthen you? Jesus himself is our guide and our unshakable foundation for trials here and now and for the final judgment to come.
╬ The four living beings are all-seeing witnesses of God’s holiness and purity, and they represent the all-seeing Presence of God. His inscrutable gaze of love is upon you even now! What comes to mind when you consider that the triune God sees you?
╬ Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. . . Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee. Who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be. In the name of the Lamb who was slain we pray. Amen.
Scripture: Revelation 4 (ESV)
And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Rev 4:8 NLT
One of the gifts of a study of the book of Revelation is the invitation to more closely consider heaven. Often, we live our lives in our present home while the reality of our future, eternal home receives little thought. “Anyway, heaven is a mystery. It is for a future day,” we argue, “so why waste time wondering about our eternity when ‘today has enough trouble of its own?’” But a wise saying from the Rule of Benedict instructs, “Day by day remind yourself that you’re going to die” when we will “be with the Lord forever” (1Thes 4:17). To remember eternity is to live here and now in the light of eternity.
Chapter 4 takes us into the magnificent throne room of God. It’s a stunning, color-filled, glistening, be-jeweled, majestic scene! Prayerfully, humbly enter the throne room along with John with your imagination awake and with a receptive mind and heart. John hears the voice of Jesus “like a trumpet blast” (v. 1). It is the same voice that John first encountered in Rev 1:10-18. “A door is standing open” (v. 1) and John peers through. What has been closed, what has been utter mystery, is now open and revealed for all who will see. With Jesus himself as his guide, John is commanded not to simply “sneak a peek” but to enter in, to “Come up here,” and to understand what is there to behold! Jesus wants John to see the throne room resplendent in the glory of God. He wants him to see all the people of God, witness the judgment and the justice of God, and see the conclusion of human history that is to follow. To experience the reality of the heavenly throne room will sustain John’s readers and provides us the unshakable foundation we need when John is shown “what must happen after this” (v. 1).
Entering through the door John sees “a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it” (v. 2). Who is this “someone”? It is “the Lord God Almighty” (v. 8)! “The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow” (v. 3). Surely, the glory of God is manifest in the throne room. The ruby-red carnelian is the first stone of the breastplate of the OT high priests and jasper, like a diamond, is the last. These, along with the other ten stones of the breastplate, represent the twelve tribes of Israel (Ex 28:17). John names the first and the last of the twelve stones, symbolically indicating that all the chosen people of God are included in the throne room scene. These stones, the carnelian and the jasper, will appear again as the new city of God is described in Rev 21. There is the glow of an emerald rainbow glimmering around his throne, reminiscent of the rainbow covenant given to Noah in Gen 9:12-17. And the one seated on the throne is faithful to keep his covenant-word. God’s justice will prevail! His gracious promise of redemption and his assurance of salvation will sustain the chosen people of God who cling to this hope even in the midst of the judgment to come.
There is much more to see and understand in God’s throne room. It isn’t a static scene but an active one. The omnipotent power, the mighty Presence, and the unparalleled glory and majesty of God are on display. “From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder” (v. 5). Around God’s throne, twenty-four elders wear crowns of gold and seven torches flame with fire. But the great action in the throne room revolves around four living beings, “each covered with eyes, front and back, . . . with six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out” (vv. 6, 8). They are nearest to the throne and stand as all-seeing witnesses of the holiness and purity of God. They see the righteousness of those who are overcomers and the sinfulness of those who reject God. The four living creatures cry out day and night never ceasing to worship the One on the throne. “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” (v. 8).
“Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
‘You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.’” (vv. 9-11).
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee. May it be so, Living God.
Consider –
╬ Now that you have entered the glorious heavenly throne room with John, how might this experience encourage and strengthen you? Jesus himself is our guide and our unshakable foundation for trials here and now and for the final judgment to come.
╬ The four living beings are all-seeing witnesses of God’s holiness and purity, and they represent the all-seeing Presence of God. His inscrutable gaze of love is upon you even now! What comes to mind when you consider that the triune God sees you?
╬ Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. . . Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee. Who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be. In the name of the Lamb who was slain we pray. Amen.