An amazing look at the Glory of God seen in Rev 4:1-11 by Pastor Conor Berry.
[00:00:00] Hi, my name is Mike Negliam and I'm the guest host of The Sermon of the Moment podcast
[00:00:06] for this week.
[00:00:08] The podcast that I've selected or put forward is from my friend Pastor Connor Barry.
[00:00:17] He preached a while ago on Revelation chapter 4 and I put it on on my laptop while
[00:00:25] I was just doing administrative stuff, you know, getting back to emails and all that kind
[00:00:31] of stuff and just thought I'd have a sermon in the background.
[00:00:33] But just the combination of like the majesty of the content of Revelation 4 and the
[00:00:42] like authority and the annoying team that Connor was bringing to his sermon basically
[00:00:52] just caused me to like minimize every other tab and just sit there and actually get my
[00:00:59] Bible out and open it up and just read it and follow it along and I was just so encouraged
[00:01:06] and so blessed.
[00:01:08] In fact most of the time when I listened to Sermon's, I speed it up a little bit to make
[00:01:14] more use of time and I found myself actually turning it down to one.
[00:01:21] I wanted to hear all of this in all of its weight and I think he will too.
[00:01:29] Anyway, this is the sermon of the moment.
[00:01:31] Pastor Connor Barry Revelation 4.
[00:01:34] Alright are you guys ready?
[00:01:40] I don't know if you're ready.
[00:01:41] I thought I was ready for service and just this scene, just this description of what
[00:01:49] John, what is revealed to John it's just I've read it hundreds of times in the last couple
[00:01:56] of weeks and every single time I'm just taking a back.
[00:02:03] Chapter 1 of Revelation tells us that this is the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
[00:02:13] It's a singular revelation.
[00:02:15] It is not the book of revelations.
[00:02:18] It is not the revelations of Jesus Christ.
[00:02:21] It's singularly the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Redeemer of captives,
[00:02:30] the Savior of sinners.
[00:02:32] And before we even dive into this I want us to lay a foundation before we enter into
[00:02:38] this grand narrative, this grand vision.
[00:02:43] Why is it revelation and not revelations?
[00:02:47] Isn't God capable of multiple revelations?
[00:02:51] Why is it that it is necessary for us to focus on this singular revelation here in the
[00:02:56] New Testament.
[00:02:58] And the reason why I think so, that it is singularly one revelation is this because God only
[00:03:03] has one singular plan of redemption and fulfillment and dominance over sin and evil.
[00:03:12] God only has one plan.
[00:03:14] And when you can guarantee the result of a plan, you only need one plan.
[00:03:20] And as we read Revelation we get to see unfold, God's plan being guaranteed to be fulfilled.
[00:03:28] God will never be surprised.
[00:03:30] He will never be caught off guard.
[00:03:32] He will never underestimate the currents of history because every single moment since
[00:03:37] the beginning of time has been under the sovereign authority of God himself.
[00:03:43] And we get to witness the presence of God in His throne room this morning.
[00:03:51] This is why I ask you, are you ready?
[00:03:53] Because so often I am reading this and I think that I am ready and then I encounter another
[00:03:59] aspect of his glory, another aspect of who he is in the scriptures.
[00:04:03] And again I am taking it back and I have to say I am unworthy.
[00:04:08] And when I read the scriptures and I think maybe as you do too, when you are reading
[00:04:12] the gospels or you are reading narratives, you place yourselves in the position of the
[00:04:16] disciples.
[00:04:17] Maybe you place yourself in the position of Mary or Martha or Ruth or Esther.
[00:04:22] Maybe you place yourself in the position of Zacchaeus high up in a tree waiting to get
[00:04:27] the attention of Jesus.
[00:04:30] And for me if I put myself in the position of John and I see myself standing in the throne
[00:04:36] room of heaven, I am simply unable to comprehend the greatness of what we are about
[00:04:44] to read together.
[00:04:47] When this is a singular revelation of Jesus Christ, it leads us, it kind of concludes
[00:04:53] us to understand that the book of Revelation is supremely, the book of Revelation is
[00:04:58] supremely about God.
[00:05:02] It is God centric and rightfully so because if Jesus is singular revelation to the church
[00:05:09] about future events, it is supremely God centric then friends we need to be supremely
[00:05:14] God centric in our study of the book of Revelation.
[00:05:18] I think you will discover when you read chapter 4 and 5 as we get into it together, you
[00:05:22] will see that it is extremely, extremely God centric.
[00:05:27] Revelation teaches us this that we have a blessing when we read it.
[00:05:34] We have a gift that is given to us when we read this text about the future events of
[00:05:41] this world and the kingdom of God.
[00:05:45] Revelation in a way renews us.
[00:05:47] It renews us not so much about telling us about future events and we can get that twisted.
[00:05:56] So often we think Revelation is only about future events and we can get so inundated
[00:06:01] about what the symbolism of it is or the literal interpretation of it is and we tend to
[00:06:06] forget that Revelation renews us not so much by telling us about future events but by
[00:06:11] showing us God himself.
[00:06:15] God us God.
[00:06:17] He is the one who brings all of the events to pass in his own time and his own way and
[00:06:23] by his own measures.
[00:06:24] And this is why when John is ushered and ascended up into heaven to see these things
[00:06:30] that will come to pass it begins at the throne room of God and that is also where it
[00:06:35] will end.
[00:06:38] We get to see this morning in chapter 4 the entire central origin of all of the universe.
[00:06:45] Coincided, concentrically, just, concentrically connected all the way to one throne
[00:06:55] God himself.
[00:06:58] Revelation teaches us that the secrets of history, the secrets of the future, the secrets
[00:07:02] of conflicts both spiritual and physical centers on God himself.
[00:07:07] It's his authority, it's his plan of redemption and it will be completed.
[00:07:13] The question that you have to ask when you understand this is, am I going to be with
[00:07:19] him or not?
[00:07:22] For you brothers and sisters that are with him now that are believers in Jesus Christ,
[00:07:27] we can look at this event of John and the throne room of God and we realize it culminates
[00:07:32] in that grand promise that so many of us have on bumper stickers, so many of us have
[00:07:37] on bookmarks in our bibles.
[00:07:39] Maybe even it's tattooed on your back.
[00:07:42] It's this verse Romans 828, so special to us as believers.
[00:07:46] We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who
[00:07:53] are called according to his purpose, for those who love God, God on His throne and His
[00:08:01] supreme sovereignty.
[00:08:03] We know that in His supreme sovereignty all things work together for good, for those
[00:08:09] who are called according to his purpose.
[00:08:12] Maybe you've never read that verse before and thought of the end-time significance that
[00:08:18] it has.
[00:08:19] It has what I would say as to the logical framework and end-time framework.
[00:08:27] Let me unfold this for you.
[00:08:28] I was preparing for Christmas, that might sound weird.
[00:08:33] As a pastor you're kind of on a weird schedule.
[00:08:36] If you're in July you need to start thinking about Christmas.
[00:08:39] You need to think about these events of celebration of our Lord Jesus.
[00:08:45] So I was reading this book and I love this book.
[00:08:48] It's a book by a pastor in Idaho's name is Doug Wilson.
[00:08:51] It's the book called God Rest Ye Merry.
[00:08:54] He says something that was so profound to me and I hope it's profound to you as well.
[00:08:58] He says this, if all things work together for good, for them that love God and are
[00:09:05] called according to His purpose then this means that billions of plot points are going
[00:09:13] to come together in the most satisfying cathartic release possible at the end of all time.
[00:09:21] That billions of plot points that seem unconnected to you, but that you are exposed
[00:09:31] to every single situation that you've ever been in, every experience that you had.
[00:09:37] Every single plot point that defines and frameworks your life is going to come together
[00:09:43] in the most satisfying cathartic release possible at the end of all time.
[00:09:49] And we ask ourselves that question, well maybe what is cathartic, what is the word cathartic?
[00:09:53] It comes from this Greek word that originates three real, beautiful word pictures.
[00:10:00] Purity, cleansing and righteousness.
[00:10:06] Purity, cleansing and not excuse me, not righteousness release.
[00:10:11] Purity, cleansing and release.
[00:10:16] This means friends that every single one of us we can do, we can kind of do a laundry list
[00:10:21] at this moment in our minds every regret that we've ever had.
[00:10:25] Every failure that was our fault, every mess up, every argument, every sin that we've committed.
[00:10:35] Everything that just brings tension to our lives, the consequences of our decisions,
[00:10:41] the messups that have consequences that might even go beyond our own legacy.
[00:10:47] When all things were together for good to those who are in Christ Jesus, one day he's
[00:10:52] going to redeem all of that and you are going to experience a release that lasts for all eternity.
[00:10:59] Because righteousness will be upon you.
[00:11:03] Do you know that you are in the midst of God's story?
[00:11:07] A story written by God.
[00:11:09] He has written your life into it and you get the pleasure of watching it unfold.
[00:11:14] And this is why we're here this morning.
[00:11:16] We want to hear more about this story.
[00:11:19] We want to hear more about God's redemptive plan for his people, you and for me.
[00:11:25] And John, as he's writing this revelation of Jesus Christ, is asking Jesus would you
[00:11:30] fulfill your promise in relating to us these future events?
[00:11:34] And Jesus says, come on up, John, come and see the throne room of God.
[00:11:39] Let's look at that together.
[00:11:42] Lord, give us a front row seat to what you have for us this morning as we enter into your
[00:11:48] word Jesus.
[00:11:49] I thank you, Lord, that we get to be part of a reality that this world does not understand,
[00:11:57] does not know, but will one day know when every meal bower, every time we're confess.
[00:12:03] Verse 1, after this I looked and behold, a door standing open in heaven.
[00:12:10] And the first voice which I had heard, speaking to me like a trumpet said, come up here.
[00:12:16] And I will show you what must take place after this.
[00:12:20] So kind of in the narrative schedule, we see chapters one through three of revelation
[00:12:27] in the present moment as Jesus is speaking to John and John is writing these letters
[00:12:33] to the seven churches, which really represent all of the universal church around the
[00:12:40] world.
[00:12:41] And so he's witnessed these letters to the seven churches in the present age and he's
[00:12:45] on this island of Patmos.
[00:12:47] Now, so often we think island that must be pretty beautiful.
[00:12:51] It actually wasn't think less of Hawaii, think more of Alcatraz, right?
[00:12:57] Because this is what it was.
[00:12:58] This was this penal colony island.
[00:13:02] And it was a place where they would drop off prisoners and they say have a good time surviving
[00:13:06] and see what happens.
[00:13:08] And this is the island in such desperate hardship as John is in the midst of criminals
[00:13:15] and a wild nature upon an island that probably seek to kill him.
[00:13:22] Or he hears this triumphant word of revelation chapter one verse 10.
[00:13:28] This voice that speaks to him.
[00:13:31] Now again, I place myself in the position of John.
[00:13:34] We remember that John was known as the disciple that Jesus loved.
[00:13:39] If he was the disciple that Jesus loved, I could imagine that he knows the voice of Jesus.
[00:13:45] And what an experience to hear that voice in a way that you've never heard it before,
[00:13:49] a voice like a trumpet coming from the clouds immediately recognizing this is the voice of Jesus.
[00:13:55] This is my Messiah.
[00:13:56] Here on this prison that is so difficult and hard, he says,
[00:14:00] come on up, come and see for yourself these future events that are coming to pass.
[00:14:06] Can I be as both to say it seems like a pretty rapturous event, right?
[00:14:11] As John is coming up to see this throne.
[00:14:16] If we continue from this assumption that even in the letters to the seven churches,
[00:14:22] Jesus is writing as the bridegroom right to his bride.
[00:14:25] As I later showed you in the week before.
[00:14:28] If Jesus is writing to as bridegroom to his bride, isn't it amazing to think
[00:14:34] that if John is representative of this church is being ascended up into heaven to see the throne room,
[00:14:39] he's saying, I want you to come and want you to come meet my dad.
[00:14:43] Come to the throne room of God himself.
[00:14:47] From verse 1, now through the end of Revelation,
[00:14:51] we will see events unfold from a heavenly perspective.
[00:14:56] This once exhortation to the church on earth as the seven churches is now shot forward
[00:15:01] to this unveiling of the future.
[00:15:03] As John has this rapturously event between chapter three and chapter four,
[00:15:08] we have this understanding that not only is he ascending into heaven,
[00:15:11] he is also propelled into the future.
[00:15:15] And this is why I'd be as bold to say as far as a timeline is concerned,
[00:15:19] I can assume that there's a rapture between chapter three and chapter four of Revelation.
[00:15:25] And if that is the case, friends, you will witness.
[00:15:29] You will witness firsthand what has been described here in Revelation chapter four.
[00:15:34] So let's see what John says, verse two and three.
[00:15:38] Once I was in the spirit and behold,
[00:15:42] a throne stood in heaven with one seated on the throne.
[00:15:47] And he who sat there had the appearance of Jasper and Carneelian
[00:15:51] and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.
[00:15:58] Can you understand here?
[00:16:00] Just look at these words here in verse two and three.
[00:16:03] John is doing his best with his human language to describe a beauty
[00:16:11] that he's never experienced before.
[00:16:13] He's trying to describe with human language how amazing the center of the universe actually is.
[00:16:23] The origin of all creation actually is what it actually looks like.
[00:16:29] And really, at least in this text I can be as bold to say he'd not even showing the description
[00:16:35] of a person sitting on the throne.
[00:16:36] He's like, at this point, all I'm seeing is colors.
[00:16:39] Beautiful.
[00:16:41] Beautiful jewels shining out from the position of a throne.
[00:16:47] Notice here's this throne that stood in heaven verse two and there was one seated
[00:16:52] on the throne and he who sat there had the appearance of Jasper and Carneelian.
[00:16:59] John as an author, he has this kind of fixation from this point on from this point.
[00:17:04] He has this fixation with God's throne all the way even to the end of Revelation and I love that.
[00:17:09] I just blow his mind.
[00:17:10] I love the fact that he realizes that all that is being unfolded and will be done originates
[00:17:18] from the throne room of God and that his promises, his plans will be fulfilled.
[00:17:23] In fact, John mentions a throne in almost every chapter of Revelation.
[00:17:29] In the New Testament, the word throne, it's mentioned 62 times in the New Testament.
[00:17:34] Just in the book of Revelation, it's mentioned 47 out of those 62 times.
[00:17:40] It is so centralized on the throne of God and we have to ask that question why?
[00:17:46] Because God's throne is the central source of his glory and his authority.
[00:17:51] I want to understand something here.
[00:17:53] When John is talking about a throne, he's not really talking about a really cool looking chair.
[00:17:57] He's not talking about just this golden chair that looks amazing and he's so fixated on that.
[00:18:04] No, he is looking at what the throne represents.
[00:18:06] He's looking at the very authority of God himself and his ability to fulfill all that he promised to fulfill.
[00:18:18] Remember, John chapter 1 verse 18.
[00:18:22] Here is God the Father sitting upon the throne and in this verse 2 and 3,
[00:18:27] he can't truly see this picture of this man on this throne.
[00:18:33] This there's an appearance like and done to it and really in every other description
[00:18:38] of the throne room of God and the Old Testament and in the New Testament,
[00:18:41] they cannot see who is sitting on the throne.
[00:18:44] The glory is just too much.
[00:18:47] The power is just too much.
[00:18:49] The presence of holiness is just too much and this is why John and his gospel is so focused
[00:18:58] on saying, no one has ever seen God the only God who is at the Father's side, he has made
[00:19:05] him known.
[00:19:07] Jesus loves to point to the Father.
[00:19:12] He loves to tell us as we're reading the scriptures, come up with me, come into the throne
[00:19:19] room, come and see my Father.
[00:19:22] As Jesus is revealing the Father, John really witnessed the colors of His glory around
[00:19:27] Him because no one has seen the Father but when they see the Son, as Jesus proclaim,
[00:19:34] they see the Father.
[00:19:36] I love what first Peter chapter 1 verse 8 and 9 says, because this is true of you and
[00:19:41] of me, when Peter wrote his epistle, he was writing to a person who had church.
[00:19:45] A church that was suffering for the beliefs that they had and they were suffering because
[00:19:53] they were saying we are not going to worship a pantheon of God's, we're worshiping
[00:19:57] one God and God alone.
[00:20:00] And first Peter chapter 1 verse 8 and 9 says this, it says, though you have not seen
[00:20:05] him, you love him.
[00:20:08] So you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible
[00:20:15] and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
[00:20:26] When the world looks at you and what you believe in and they just say how is that even
[00:20:31] logically possible in the moment of suffering and in persecution, we can be able to
[00:20:38] say even though I have not seen him, I love him.
[00:20:42] Because I've seen how he has worked in me.
[00:20:44] I see how the Holy Spirit has dwelt himself in me and I have changed by the blood of Jesus
[00:20:50] Christ.
[00:20:52] So let's take a look, let's kind of unfold this description of these three colors.
[00:20:57] Revelation chapter 4 verse 3, he who sat there had this appearance of Jasper, Karnillion
[00:21:03] and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.
[00:21:09] You know John is doing his best in the Greek language to describe what God's glory actually
[00:21:14] looks like and it extends into two jewels that have specific colors, Jasper and Karnillion.
[00:21:22] Now there's debate upon what kind of jewels he's actually talking about here but Jasper can
[00:21:27] be understood back then as just a diamond.
[00:21:32] White colors emanating from God's throne.
[00:21:36] Many assume he's talking about this diamond of the brightness and the reflection of his
[00:21:40] glory because this is really what John is saying.
[00:21:44] It's so magnified, it's so beautiful, it's so amazing and majestic that his glory
[00:21:53] is the only thing that can be seen.
[00:21:56] White of a diamond and then Karnillion or Sardius would we can be understand as a ruby
[00:22:01] so blood red.
[00:22:06] As believers, we can only speculate what these colors may be represented or symbolized.
[00:22:10] Here is God the Father, he's glorified by the pure white of his righteousness and the
[00:22:18] means of humanity receiving that righteousness, the red glory of his sons blood.
[00:22:25] The only reason that John can actually be in the throne room of God right now is because
[00:22:31] of the blood of Jesus because of his salvation.
[00:22:35] Because of the grace of God that has emanated just as much as his glory upon a people
[00:22:40] who are undeserving of his grace.
[00:22:43] Because I read this text friends, I place myself in the position of John and there is
[00:22:48] no way.
[00:22:50] There's no way I can come into that throne room and treat it in a nonchalant way, in a way
[00:22:56] of complacency and a way of saying that I've seen all of this before.
[00:23:01] Even in this description, even in this description, just the description of God makes
[00:23:10] me show me how much on worthy I am, even no one.
[00:23:15] How much of my own sin that is separated from me, separated from God but has been paid
[00:23:22] for by the blood of Jesus.
[00:23:24] It's me come, come into the throne room of grace.
[00:23:29] Not only come but have bold access to come before the throne room of grace.
[00:23:35] This huge throne which is this throne of authority of supreme majesty is also this throne
[00:23:41] of judgment.
[00:23:43] He alone, God the Father, can able be stand upon all the universe and declare judgment
[00:23:51] upon all.
[00:23:52] This is really what we see so much in the book of Revelation.
[00:23:55] Yet here is John witnessing it for the first time.
[00:24:00] He is light and in him there is no shadow at all.
[00:24:06] So he is two colors, this Jasper of white, this sardius are canylene of red and then
[00:24:12] above him in this beautiful grand gesture is this emerald rainbow.
[00:24:21] Around the throne is this rainbow that has the appearance of an emerald.
[00:24:25] I love how he always gives that caveat.
[00:24:27] Has this appearance?
[00:24:28] I don't know for sure.
[00:24:31] It looks like that but I'm looking at finite things.
[00:24:35] And using them to describe infinite things.
[00:24:40] Beautiful things.
[00:24:42] Here's this grand emerald rainbow and it reflects over his glory.
[00:24:48] And I love this about the scriptures friends because this is not the first time that someone
[00:24:52] has witnessed the throne of God.
[00:24:55] We see this also in the Old Testament with the prophet Ezekiel.
[00:24:58] Ezekiel chapter one is showing and describing almost exactly the same throne room of
[00:25:05] God.
[00:25:06] And I love that because what the distance of centuries between Ezekiel and John is huge
[00:25:13] yet they are experiencing the same place.
[00:25:17] And friends if I can be human as both to say this, that just throws it in the face of so
[00:25:22] many books of people that say they've had near death experiences that they've met
[00:25:27] God, they've walked on the sands of a seashore and saw the footprints in the sand and
[00:25:32] all of that.
[00:25:34] And they are not showing us what John says.
[00:25:38] They're not showing us what Ezekiel says.
[00:25:41] Let's look at what Ezekiel says here, Ezekiel chapter one verses 26 to 28.
[00:25:48] He says, and above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne in appearance
[00:25:55] like Sapphire.
[00:25:57] And seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance and
[00:26:04] upward from what I had the appearance of his waist, I saw it was gleaming metal like
[00:26:11] the appearance of fire and closed all around.
[00:26:14] And downward from what had the appearance of his waist, I saw it was the appearance of
[00:26:18] fire and there was a brightness all around him.
[00:26:23] Now here, here's where the rainbow comes up verse 28, like the appearance of the bow that
[00:26:28] is in the cloud on the day of rain.
[00:26:31] So was the appearance of the brightness all around.
[00:26:35] Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of God and when I saw it, I fell
[00:26:41] on my face and I heard the voice of one speaking.
[00:26:45] This is what happens when you come into the throne of God.
[00:26:51] This is what goes against so many books that we are tempted and enamored by that say, here's
[00:26:58] this near-death experience I've had 25 minutes in heaven or whatever it is.
[00:27:04] And they describe coming up into heaven and there's all this light and Jesus just shows
[00:27:08] up and says, hey, take my hand, let's go for a walk together, no friends, when we stand
[00:27:13] before the throne room of God.
[00:27:16] The very first thing that I truly believe, it will be a terrifying experience.
[00:27:21] We will fall on our faces as though we were dead because we can't possibly comprehend
[00:27:26] the glory that we are witnessing.
[00:27:30] I think the closest place that I've ever come to glory in seeing glory is I was in Ireland
[00:27:35] at this place called Old Head of Cancels.
[00:27:38] And it's this almost this huge track of meadow that goes to sheer cliffs out into the
[00:27:46] ocean and you can climb it, but the wind oftentimes is so powerful that you can like
[00:27:53] totally do the Michael Jackson thing of like, you know, when he's like dancing I can't
[00:27:57] I'm not even a tribe.
[00:27:58] But you know what I mean right?
[00:28:00] Like you could just like bend over and like the wind keeps you up.
[00:28:04] And so we were climbing up it and we got to almost the precipice and it got really scary
[00:28:11] because you are, you were, I mean yards and yards above and all you can see is the
[00:28:17] expense of ocean.
[00:28:18] And at that moment the wind stopped and the clouds cracked and the sun shot out
[00:28:24] and it was the greenous green I've ever seen, it was the blueest blue I've ever seen.
[00:28:29] It's those moments that you can't define into words.
[00:28:34] Friends it pales in comparison to what John is witnessing right now.
[00:28:38] You can think of what's the most glorious thing that you've ever witnessed.
[00:28:41] It pales in comparison to what John is witnessing now.
[00:28:44] He is doing his best and here's this bow, this appearance like the cloud on the day of
[00:28:50] rain so was the appearance of the brightness all around.
[00:28:55] Leon Morris a commentator he describes it as potentially even more so akin to a grand green
[00:29:01] halo.
[00:29:02] You know so many of us when we see a rainbow you know we think let's try to find the end
[00:29:07] of the rainbow.
[00:29:08] Well here in the throne room of God it has no end.
[00:29:12] It continues on and on and it's this huge green halo representing over the throne
[00:29:19] of judgment the same symbolism that we see when we ever we see a rainbow on the earth.
[00:29:26] I am fulfilling my judgment and I will never judge the world in the way that I've judged
[00:29:31] before that beautiful no no a covenant that he gave to his people.
[00:29:40] And this is why I think it's just so beautiful that here in the expense of the throne
[00:29:47] of God the illumination of his glory and red and white and this green halo all around
[00:29:54] this declaration that which was with throne of judgment by the blood of Jesus Christ
[00:29:58] has now thrown of grace.
[00:30:00] The storm has passed on the place which we stand and believers and have never to be touched
[00:30:06] by the world's judgment again.
[00:30:10] That's just the description of the throne.
[00:30:13] That's enough just to say I'm drained man.
[00:30:16] Now verses four and five it continues because what we're going to witness now are other
[00:30:22] presence or creations around the throne of God in concentric circles around all facing
[00:30:31] this centrality of God's throne.
[00:30:33] The throne of the four and five around the throne were 24 throats and seated on the
[00:30:38] throats were 24 elders closed in white garments with golden crowns on their heads.
[00:30:45] From the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peels of thunder and before
[00:30:50] the throne were burning seven torches of fire which are the seven spirits of God.
[00:30:57] So we see the series of kind of concentric circles encompassing the throne and first
[00:31:03] described here are 24 elders on thrones surrounding God's throne.
[00:31:09] So the biggest question as we read the text always that we will ask who are these beings
[00:31:15] these 24 elders.
[00:31:17] Here let me tell you I'm not sure.
[00:31:23] I'm not sure so many commentaries, Terry's point some say that they're angels some say
[00:31:29] that they represent the 12 tribes of Israel and then the 12 apostles or some describe
[00:31:34] them as the 24 divisions of the liturgical priesthood all of that could be totally true.
[00:31:41] But we cannot know until we witness it ourselves.
[00:31:44] Witness these 24 elders and what I can see is here are elders.
[00:31:49] I really truly believe these are men blessed with the opportunity of authority upon thrones
[00:31:57] to worship God.
[00:32:00] I don't know if it's the 12 tribes of Israel, I don't know if it's the 12 apostles.
[00:32:04] If it were the 12 apostles I think it'd be pretty amazing for John to be in the throne
[00:32:08] room of God and say that one looks a little familiar.
[00:32:12] Right?
[00:32:13] Vangly familiar.
[00:32:16] He looks glorified.
[00:32:17] I look like I've been dropped in a vat of hot oil being suffering for the cause of Jesus
[00:32:23] Christ.
[00:32:26] I don't know.
[00:32:28] But I think we find some shedding of light when we look again on their authority on
[00:32:35] their thrones and in the crowns upon their heads.
[00:32:41] When we look at the Greek word crown here it is not the crown or authority of a king.
[00:32:46] There's only one king in heaven.
[00:32:48] He's the one sitting upon the throne.
[00:32:52] Those are not kings with crowns of authority.
[00:32:55] No, in reality it's the Greek word Stefanos and that means a crown of victory.
[00:33:02] In the only time in Greece and culture where someone would be given a crown of victory
[00:33:07] would be that laurel-reath when one has won a physically vent in the Olympics.
[00:33:13] So one has been favorable in finishing a race, accomplishing a goal and being first place
[00:33:21] and given this laurel-reath that says, you are victorious.
[00:33:25] You have finished what you have been caused to do.
[00:33:28] And I love that it's this golden crown and so now my visual of the 24 elders have changed.
[00:33:33] It's moved from kind of that kingly crown.
[00:33:35] Now to that laurel-reath crown and it blows my mind to think this because I think only
[00:33:40] men are given crowns of victory from the king of kings in the Lord of Lords.
[00:33:49] A victory that is not their own.
[00:33:52] In a victory that's been won by the cause of Jesus Christ and the favor that they receive,
[00:33:58] they haven't done anything to receive it.
[00:34:01] It's not their works that they get this sit on thrones of authority.
[00:34:04] It's not their works that they get to be clothed in white garments of righteousness.
[00:34:09] It is not their works that they receive a crown of victory.
[00:34:12] It is the work of the Son of God that we will see in chapter 5 as the blood of the Lamb
[00:34:17] who takes away the sins of the world.
[00:34:20] So here's the circle of elders.
[00:34:23] They're surrounded by the king of kings, the Lord of Lords and then secondly before
[00:34:27] the throne are seven torches of fire which John relates to us.
[00:34:32] He knows this.
[00:34:33] It is the seven spirits of God and I love that.
[00:34:37] I love that so much because in so much of his description in chapter 4 he's like it has
[00:34:42] an appearance like this and has this like that there's something like this but I know
[00:34:48] the seven tongues, the seven lamps of fire that is the sevenfold spirit of God.
[00:34:55] Now when we think about the Holy Spirit we don't think of them necessarily manifesting
[00:35:02] himself physically.
[00:35:03] We've seen him in the Scriptures manifest himself physically as a dove, as Jesus has
[00:35:08] baptism and as tongues of fire above believers at Pentacost and here we see in the midst
[00:35:13] of the seven stem lamp stand in revelation and that is truly why friends I think John is
[00:35:18] able to say that's the Holy Spirit because the only other time he's encountered tongues
[00:35:22] of fire before is in that upper room waiting for the descending Holy Spirit to come upon them
[00:35:29] and illuminate and power them for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
[00:35:33] To dwell within them to be that comforter to give them supernatural gifts that they have
[00:35:38] never experienced before and to lead, to lead a people into grand declaration in herilding
[00:35:47] that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
[00:35:52] I love this too, if you connect this back to Revelation chapter 1, turn with me to Revelation
[00:35:57] chapter 1, verse 12 and 13, this is the other occasion where we see the seven lamps of fire.
[00:36:06] Jesus is speaking to John and he says, I want you to write this down about the seven churches
[00:36:10] and here in verse 12 he says, then I turn to see the voice that was speaking to me and
[00:36:14] on turning I saw seven golden lamp stands and in the midst of the lamp stands one like
[00:36:20] a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his waist.
[00:36:28] I see a trinitarian participation of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit
[00:36:33] in the throne room of God Himself and they are all participating in revealing themselves.
[00:36:40] I love that the Holy Spirit love to reveal the Son and I love that the Son loves to reveal
[00:36:46] God the Father.
[00:36:47] This is what he's doing with John.
[00:36:50] We even think about it in this way, another explanation of a man witnessing the throne room
[00:36:56] of God was this man Stephen who was the first martyr in the New Testament in Acts chapter
[00:37:02] 7 verses 54 to 55.
[00:37:06] He's declaring who Jesus is that he is the Messiah and he gave this man, he gave one
[00:37:11] of the best sermons I think in the New Testament about who God is, about who the Messiah
[00:37:16] is and here's the response of the people verse 54 to 55 of Acts 7 says when they heard
[00:37:22] these things they were enraged, they ground their teeth at him but he full of the Holy
[00:37:29] Spirit again revealing God the Father, God the Son full of the Holy Spirit gazed into
[00:37:35] heaven saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
[00:37:40] Full of the Holy Spirit he illuminates the presence of Jesus.
[00:37:44] He is the seven fold witness proclaiming the glory of God the Father and the Son.
[00:37:54] There's a six to 11 now as we come to our conclusion.
[00:37:57] We see another concentric circle around the throne room but this time it's closest to
[00:38:03] the throne.
[00:38:04] Around the throne verse 6 on each side of the throne are four living creatures full
[00:38:10] of eyes in front and behind.
[00:38:13] The first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third
[00:38:18] living creature with the face of a man and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight
[00:38:22] and the four living creatures each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around
[00:38:28] and within and day and night they never cease to say holy holy holy is the Lord God
[00:38:35] Almighty who was and is and is to come.
[00:38:40] Let me just stop there in verse 8.
[00:38:41] This third circle surrounding the throne of God the Father are four living creatures.
[00:38:47] Now let me be clear here, they are not symbols.
[00:38:52] They are not relating to the four gospels.
[00:38:55] They're not relating just to the symbolism of God being able to see everything friends.
[00:38:59] Now these are living creatures that exist even today.
[00:39:05] They stand before the throne of God, around his throne worshiping him for who he is saying
[00:39:10] holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come.
[00:39:15] And that's hard because so often there are biblical scholars who look at the text they
[00:39:20] read it and they come to the conclusion this is just so majestically crazy.
[00:39:26] It's got to be a symbol and it's not.
[00:39:30] This is the chair of them of God, the angelic beings whose entire existence is to give
[00:39:38] God glory to worship him.
[00:39:41] Can we unfold their description and see how they give God glory?
[00:39:44] Number one, their location in relation to the throne is the closest than any other creature.
[00:39:50] It means like there are immediate access to God the Father at all times.
[00:39:55] God the Son standing at his right hand and it regards them potentially I would think
[00:40:00] as the closest order of worship of created beings in their praise to God.
[00:40:08] Number two, they're full of eyes.
[00:40:12] Nothing escapes their observation of the throne room.
[00:40:15] I can visually think of this as John enters into the throne room these eyes that are so
[00:40:21] focused on God the Father that's surrounded by them are still able to witness.
[00:40:26] Here's this man coming into the throne room of God and it pictures it symbolizes this
[00:40:34] this beautiful omniscience of God himself.
[00:40:37] Seeing that not only is he have the authority to control all things he is aware of all
[00:40:41] things and not only is he aware of all things these creatures are aware with all of their eyes
[00:40:49] and even though they see death and destruction all over the world it does not stop them
[00:40:54] from worshiping God because they know his authority and they know what he is going to do.
[00:41:00] Thirdly, they speak in tandem together as one unit although they are diverse in their character
[00:41:05] lion ox, eagle and man we can we can spend so much time looking at the minute details of these
[00:41:12] creatures but we need to move on verse nine whatever the living creatures give glory and honor
[00:41:18] and thanks to him who is seated on the throne who lives forever and ever the 24 elders they
[00:41:24] fall down before him who is seated on the throne and they worship him who lives forever and ever
[00:41:29] they cast their crowns before the throne and they say where they are you are Lord and God
[00:41:35] to receive glory and honor and power why for you created all things and by your will
[00:41:42] they existed and were created friends. You were created by God because he loves to fulfill his
[00:41:50] will and he loves to give himself glory. These cherubim they praise in this kind of three-fold
[00:41:57] chorus of glory, honor and power to him who is seated on the throne and it seems as if as these
[00:42:03] cherubim are praising God in ignites into the other circle of the 24 elders and there's just
[00:42:10] opportunity for all present to worship God in the throne so the elders respond and they bring their
[00:42:16] victorious crowns that were won on very behalf of the cross, their most valuable possessions in
[00:42:23] heaven and they throw them at the ground before the throne of God. They say my victory is not my own
[00:42:30] it's the grace of God that has been given to me and they toss it to the ground. Now if these
[00:42:36] guys are men which I tend to think that they are they are fulfilling exactly why they were created
[00:42:41] to be just as this cherubim are are fulfilling what that which they were created to be.
[00:42:49] There's a catacysm, the Westminster catacysm and they're very first question is this what is the
[00:42:54] chief end of man? What is the reason for your existence and my existence? And the answer is this
[00:43:02] to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. To glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
[00:43:12] These elders take part in this for all time they fulfill. I get to glorify God and I get to enjoy
[00:43:19] him forever. Friends that's what heaven is all about. glorifying him, praising him and enjoying
[00:43:27] him forever. And friends if that doesn't seem like the best thing in the world to you look upon
[00:43:35] the grace of Jesus. Now as we come through this close there's this grand kind of
[00:43:43] declaration where they are you are Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power for you
[00:43:48] created all things and by your will they existed and were created. As John is experiencing this song
[00:43:55] for the first time he is witnessing that everything around him originates with God it comes from him.
[00:44:02] And as I take this end note we need to close it potentially takes this is what I really want
[00:44:08] us to look at for a moment. It might take some speculation but I really truly believe this is a
[00:44:13] beautiful thing. I didn't mention to you the glass see the crystal see right that was just here
[00:44:19] in our text it was the sea of pure crystal glass not water that looked like crystal not water
[00:44:24] that looked like glass but in this beautiful beautiful crystal glass see now when God gave the
[00:44:33] instructions to the people in the Old Testament to build the tabernacle and the temple what he was
[00:44:38] giving them was a visual example into his throne room and you can you man what a great Bible study
[00:44:45] is to look at Revelation chapter 4 and 5 and then go back into the Old Testament and look at
[00:44:50] the structural directions that's given to the people of Israel to build the tabernacle and to build
[00:44:56] the temple you will find so many correlations and connecting to this wide glass see inside the temple
[00:45:03] was this bronze laver and it was made the base and the the bowl was made of bronze but inside was
[00:45:10] polished metal and it was polished metal that was donated by the women of the nation of Israel
[00:45:17] who had their mirrors which was really polished metal that they were able to look into and they gave
[00:45:22] it to the temple builders who built the laver and it looked as if the water was perfectly crystal
[00:45:31] and it signifies in a beautiful cleansing way the work and the word of God but one writer
[00:45:36] speculates this and I love this looking out upon the sea of glass perfectly still and before the
[00:45:43] throne of God if we see a rapture happening in between chapter 3 and 4 and we see John being
[00:45:49] propelled into the future to the throne of God where it's happening right now the chair of
[00:45:54] him or worshiping him upon the throne is it possible that the sea of glass could simply be
[00:46:01] the reflections of millions of washed saints of God closed in perfect white to the point that they
[00:46:08] look as a crystal sea and they're waiting just for the opportunity to have the chair of
[00:46:13] him crowd worthy worthy and we take our crowns and we lay them before the throne of God
[00:46:19] and we get to declare the order we get to glorify you and enjoy you forever.
[00:46:26] The book of Revelation is all about hope friends.
[00:46:30] Every difficulty that we suffer in this world is nothing to be compared to the glory
[00:46:35] that which will be revealed in you into eternity. Thanks for listening to Sermon of the
[00:46:42] moment on the Good Line podcast network. We hope this message encouraged you to find more great
[00:46:48] content check out our website GoodLion.io. If you want to hear more from Connor Berry you can go to
[00:46:55] the website for Calvary Chapel Santa Maria. Thanks for listening. May the love of Jesus go with you.
